Kim Possible: The Last Hope
by Guardian55
Summary: Through the Time Monkey, Shego became evil empress of the world. Twenty years have passed since and with Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable, plus every other hero that could stand against her grace removed, the people have given in to the Supreme One's power. Their anticipations for a better future have faded from their weary hearts. Yet, not all is lost. No, there is one last hope.
1. Prologue

_Author's Warning:_ "Welcome to Kim Possible: The Last Hope. Just want to say some things about this story before you start. Though Disney does own this series and I don't, of course, this is not going to go peacefully. Shego is in charge and her grasp is a cruel one. Blood will be spilled and lives will be taken throughout the story. I know, I know, Kim Possible is family friendly. That's not the case here so leave now if that's not your cup of tea. Also, if you're a Kigo fan or whatever that is, turn around now. Kim is dead due to the Supreme One. No love here. Just power. Alright, I'll quit ruining the story. That's all I've got for a heads up. Enjoy."

Prologue...

_All shall hail the Supreme One. All shall adore her. All shall know their place around her and, so, will work to make her empire that much greater..._

"Shego the Supreme One". That was the title of the tyrant figure the world had come to fear since she had risen to ruler standard in 2023. How did she accomplish such a task? Through a number of evil tricks, she smartly trapped the financial world in her net, rooted out threats to her future plans, as well as enslaved fellow evil doers to do her will. During the time that followed, her grip tightened upon everything on the earth. Whether it was the high, middle or low class, it mattered not. Their freedoms, all the same, were restricted unless in her favor. Yet, even when in her favor, one couldn't feel completely safe with the empress. There were catches with everything in her empire. The self proclaimed ruler's righteous enemies were next conquered, including a certain heroine the suppressed populations once thought an unstoppable savior, the famous "Kim Possible". Yet, this champion was no different than the rest of Shego's victims. Kim, in the end, was defeated too where none thought she could be. With this loss, there was no more hope, no more resistance, left in the world to resist it's newest monarch. Her will became law. So, she did as she pleased. Families were torn apart, people were made into slaves, lands rotted away, and the weak became preyed upon by the strong.

From 2023 to 2043, evil defeated good in Shego's empire. Dark smothered out the light. Hope was replaced by despair. Of course, rebellions sparked among the abused that supposedly would be the turning point for everyone and lead them into a new golden age of freedom. A futile dream. No, these intentions were always mercilessly killed before they started. To her highness, these attempts at fighting back were merely games. Nothing could overthrow her... Not with Kim Possible gone along with every anticipation that a better future could arrive. The earth along with all on its face was hers for the taking. Material, life, power, she could have it at the snap of her fingers.

So, this was the way the world's peoples lived in Shego's shadow. In oppression, fear, as well as dread of what could come tomorrow. The armies of her highness could arrive the next day and take away everything they adored. Be it loved ones, land, possessions, their own lives, the possibilities were unknown. However, during the twentieth year of her reign, the empress's forces were not doing such as they regularly did to the populace. Instead, by her orders, they were preparing for something it seemed. There was tension in the air for reasons only folk could speculate about but, for once in a very long time, things looked to be going wrongly for the empire. For once, in the very capitol, Shego the Supreme One appeared to be anxious rather than enjoying her role as queen of all things... for her own secret reasons.

Roughly twenty years ago, in 2023, there had once been a town within the borders of California known to the entire modern world as "Middleton" where an actual hero lived her life to its fullest. This heroine had been none other than "Kim Possible". During this teen hero's time, through her various strengths along with allies, she'd prevented everyone from falling into the control of evil that sought world domination every day. Her career proved successful for the number of years to come where she put down the many attempts of villains that looked to claim global power. She seemed invincible. That or incredibly lucky. Yet, nothing could last forever. Not even her good deeds.

In the midst of her success, one dreadful failure of Kim's allowed an age of misery to come into existence. The maker of this depression was none other than the heroine's archrival soon known worldwide as "Shego". Nothing more than a master thief then, the woman quickly rose in rank plus strength through her genius plots. They proved to be too much for the teen hero who, finally, was removed from the equation. Left unopposed, backed by powerful sources, Shego proclaimed herself empress of earth which became her oyster in a quick matter of time. As for Middleton, well, it remained famous. Not as Kim Possible's hometown anymore, mind, but as Shego's headquarters, her genuine capitol, "Shegoton".

Fitted with reinforced weapons, defenses, soldiers, plus laws over the past twenty years to 2043 now, the evil capitol served as an appropriate home for the empress to act out her devious plots that further crippled her already hurt subjects. The ominous streets of the city were controlled easily as were the occupants that were little better than cattle. The cold, steel walls of the looming palace in the community's center prevented most annoyances from entering on a whim. Annoyances such as invaders like the self righteous rebels that popped up every so often to resist her majesty. Yet, ha, those fools proved to be no challenge. Without the proper equipment, finances, supports, plus determination, those little fights for liberty proved to be short lived against the advanced armies her majesty commanded. They were so very much less impressive by a long run than when Kimmy had tried to accomplish such a feat. Now, when that teen hero finally lost, the empress enjoyed _that _victory with pleasure. Even more so when seeing the world falter in hopelessness. Yes, that had been grand.

So, Middleton had become Shegoton. Where Kim Possible had lived, Shego now did. The irony here was on purpose. The Supreme One could think of no better place to establish her command center than where her most recognized foe once had. This decision was one last insult to Kim Possible. To the world. Afterwards, the empire grew rapidly. The Americas, Europe, Asia, and so on, were dominated. Its populations became a massive workforce for the Supreme One's intentions and were strictly overseen by those she trusted most. Any attempts to rise up were put down without question. No one opposed her highness. No one. She had won her right to be ruler. She had won over everyone along with everything. None were in the position to say otherwise. Thus, one would think the empire would be subjugated with its ruler enjoying herself splendidly. That was, in fact, how things had been going for quite some time. Even so, a distraction occasionally popped up along the way and such a thing just recently had. This was no regular inconvenience that the empress disregarded as little to no concern, mind. The news ruffled her feathers, made her breath catch in her throat, and her heart skipped a beat.

Shego the Supreme One may have been evil, yet, unlike most of her colleagues in the past days, she was such with deadly style. Even though forty years older than she had been when first starting her campaign to take over the world - even though she had aged twenty years since her fight for global dominance with Kim Possible - the empress hadn't seemed to of matured a day since. This was thanks to the numerous breakthroughs in her research department that had created a serum to prevent such effects from happening to her highness. Sure, she had had to dispose of several incompetent scientists that failed her but, hey, immortality now was in her possession. That or endless youth. Meh, take your pick. Therefore, Shego's figure, adorned in an exotic black-green suit plus cape behind it, was as elegant plus strong as it had been when beginning to take over. Her body color was also as pale olive green as it had been then too and this shade she sported only brought out the one other shade on her, onyx, which cleverly decorated the constant emerald. For example, her lightly applied lipstick and lustrous hair that fell down her graceful spine, their blackness only made her green seem better. More poison like.

Where her majesty currently rested while feeling uneasy was in her comfortable throne in the wide open throne room of her citadel. Her seat, raised up some feet into the air, was in the middle of the circular plaza where she could overlook that around her as well as keep a safe distance from those that came to report or other things. You see, after being attacked by a number of hateful assassins throughout her time as ruler, Shego had come to like being elevated up above them rather than being on equal ground level. Not only for this reason but, heh, it made her feel much more higher and mightier. However, considering the negative information she was being given, she didn't really find happiness in these things. In fact, her mind was more going over tactics swiftly in attempts to prevent the worst possible case from befalling her along with all she'd achieved. A threat had been brought forth into the light by three hologram figures that knelt before the Supreme One's chair in shame. These three souls had failed to contain the explained danger and, in grim silence, they awaited their _mother's _punishment before going about redeeming themselves.

Yes, her greatness had three impressive children. A trio of loyal, lethal accomplices to depend on. Two of them that were on their knees were striking boys along with a gorgeous girl. They were all in their mid twenties and were pale green too. Their father, well, happened to be he who stonily resided by the throne, "Drakken the Beast". He, unlike their mother, showed blue skin rather than green on his madly muscular body where it could be seen amid the traditional Shegoton black-green outfit he wore. His condition - being a super soldier, standing at ten feet tall, plus injected with endless drugs - wasn't a surprise to them. Everyone in the Shego/Drakken lineage were accustomed to being drugged, tested, improved through science in humane as well as inhumane ways. It was the price they paid to be who they were; "Conquerors". The family, no matter their differences, had done the necessary requirements to secure the empire's ongoing. Even though it had been Drakken who looked to dominate the world first, his wife had beaten him to it. Now, he was _second _place. Now, he followed _her _orders rather than vice versa those many years ago when things weren't as exciting as now. Ha.

All eyes averted from the empress's own as she looked over the audience below her at hearing the bad report finished. Even Drakken, who hadn't done anything wrong for a change, didn't dare look at her but remained looking straight forward in a slight sweat while his children stayed on their knees with rights arms crossed across their chests in respect. The long quiet that followed their account of trouble in the regions of former Oregon somewhat unnerved Shego's offspring. They knew how her silence was worse than her immediately exploding since the day they had been brought into the world. Finally, their mother showed life after a purposefully drawn out pause by purring in a cool but chilling tone, "Again. Say that which you just told me again, my children." At this request, Shego's descendants glanced to one another.

The first to find his voice with forced confidence was the second oldest of the uncertain three, "Alexander Go". A growing man of twenty six, he visibly had both of his parents' qualities in his arsenal. His hair was a raven black while his skin remained olive green. His build was slender like his mom's as well as fit as his dad's. True, he had been enhanced with a variety of upgrades over time for better performance. Nonetheless, Alexander of the Go house had shown great promise before even getting his first improvement. Over the course of his life afterwards, he'd proven his worth to his mother/monarch through numerous victories over rebels, rival villains, along with inventions that enhanced the already sophisticated Shegoton military. Really, this man had the strengths his siblings lacked. His older brother, "Xavier", who looked more like his father, relied on smarts rather than brawn. His younger sister, "Sheeva", who practically looked like her mother when she was younger, took better pride in her combat skills than in her intelligence. No one dared question the capabilities of the trio, though. They were definitely superhuman with little flaws. Their weaknesses weren't at all that hindering to them.

Seeing him wishing to speak, the Supreme One gestured with her staff at hand for Alexander to stand to his feet. Her son did so without hesitation while inheriting an air of determination. Mind, although her children were loyal to her cause, they had inherited Shego's attitude that they took no orders from anyone. Even the empress. The Go children trio were independent or so they liked to think. They had powers like their highness and, through them, they had some authority. They were too old to feel afraid or be looked down upon forever like their father. Dismal Drakken the Beast had little to do with the world remaining under control. He was merely a guard dog, a last resort. Alexander did not see himself that way and, in defiant spirits, began explaining the reason he had appeared alongside his relations through hologram before his icy eyed mother. Those venomous jade pupils of hers watched him closely. Even so, he talked slow, precise, in his own relaxed tone, "Very well, mother. We shall review the issue taking place."

"Do tell..." His mom hissed, "Perhaps the second time will be better than the first. Maybe you will correct yourself and tell me that the problem has been solved rather than continuing, hm? Go on."

The second oldest Go child hid his resent at the insult. He remembered the dire issue well. Having witnessed it first hand as commander of the immense flying vessel known throughout the empire as "Titan", he recalled having an important subject for delivery to the capitol. To his patient mother, to be precise. You see, his certain plane wasn't merely just a feared weapon of war but it also served as an enormous prisoner transport. There had been hundreds of souls behind bars on board. Some had been innocents, others loudmouths, and last were doomed rioters. Out of them all, though, the most important captive had managed to escape. It had been a girl of no real importance named "Tina". She was a nobody, a pheasant taken from the provinces of Japan. Well, she wasn't exactly a nobody. If so, she wouldn't have even drawn the attention of the queen to herself nor been captured for questioning. Supposedly, her veins had the blood of the greatest threat to the Supreme One's rule. Yes, this Tina could very well be the daughter of "Kim Possible", the father being the long deceased leader of the last rebellion, "Ron Stoppable".

Nothing was for certain, really. Rumors were the best proof about the kidnapped girl considering she hadn't the slightest clue as to why she was being brought to her highness. She frantically claimed not to know of Kim Possible. However, her appearance seemed quite similar to the long gone teen hero with red hair, green eyes. Plus, her combat skills had been astounding. Alexander also knew this because, well... let's just say the kidnapping didn't go smoothly. The target put up a worthy resistance. Thus, due to these reasons there couldn't be any chances. If anyone brave enough got wind that a "Possible" in the world still existed, they'd act... and that's what had essentially happened.

Someone had taken action before the Titan reached Shegoton from its trip to previous Japan. Over the ragged western coast of the former United States, a traitor of the empress's forces on board freed Tina from her cell, helped her into the docking bay, then got her into a jet and launched. The betrayer had literally been Alexander's young apprentice, "August Cousitar". The Go son was certain of this. He remembered catching up with his men at the docked fighter planes, literally engaging his traitorous pupil and giving the turncoat a few plasma injuries. In the end, August proved to be more determined in his cause than thought. He looked to die rather than let Tina be captured again. He seemed certain the girl was who she said she wasn't. His death didn't come by Alexander's hand as expected though. It was interrupted when the potential daughter of Kim intervened, grabbed her helper, then took off into the sky with her baggage. It hadn't been guessed she could control an advanced craft such as a fighter plane so expertly. As a pursuit began later, the fleeing pair ended up being shot down over what remained of Oregon. As for where exactly they landed, that remained unknown. It also remained a mystery whether or not they lived.

And, so, that was the conflict in a nutshell. An issue that could be solved easily if it was acted on at once which it had been. Already, the Shegoton forces were scouring the Oregon territory for the traitor and prisoner. Things would be smoothed over. Or so predicted...

"Oh, will they?" Was the Supreme One's reply to her son's reassurance. Alexander didn't falter. He straightened at the mocking response to his explanation to answer just as confidently.

"Yes. August and Tina will be back in our possession in only a matter of time and the rebels will no longer have anything to depend upon. The rumors will cease and threats of rebellion will die with it too. I swear it." A silence passed between mother and son. Finally, the empress stood from her seat to make her way down to the floor. With the press of a button on the chair's right arm, it descended to ground level where her highness stepped down lightly. She coldly shoved her staff into her husband's hands without showing care while approaching her descendants. Looking over them one by one when stopping, she looked at Alexander longest. He didn't back down. Only stared back.

"Do not underestimate the capabilities of a Possible, children. Do not." The Go siblings looked to one another at the motherly advice they received. Shego, unlike them, knew exactly what she was talking about. She had literally butted heads with a "Possible" for a good majority of her life of crime without much success or victories until the rise of the Shegoton empire. Oh, how Princess had outdone her in every scheme she attempted. Well, that all changed when Shego - not Drakken - took the lead. Even so, with the odds stacked against her, Kimmy proved to be a resistant foe. Luck could be blamed for that. It was on her side. As for Stoppable, he had done a good job of trying to avenge his loved one later but, ooh, his little magic monkey powers didn't come close to the Supreme One's advancements. Not at all. Point was, though the odds were against her, Tina could be a Possible and, if so, she was capable of great things without trying. Shego knew the dangers of underestimating her. Even though she liked to be confident nothing beat her, her majesty couldn't be such at this time nor could her followers. Everyone had to be serious or pay later. "You three have made one mistake already. Do not let another happen as well."

The Go children were not as immortal as they thought they were. They had flaws and that was why their mother still remained in charge of the world rather than let them take over. It was due to their never being defeated that the young trio didn't truly understand the threat to them as their mom did too well. The three heirs saw Tina as inferior. She posed no trouble while grounded and searched for. Yet, their majesty knew not to underestimate someone related to Kim in the littlest fraction. That would prove to be unwise. Look at what had happened already. The target had escaped a highly secured war plane, the Titan. If this freed prisoner was, indeed, the prodigal daughter of the teen hero in the past... who knows what she could do if allowed. She had to be recaptured as soon as possible. Faster than that even! At once!

Alexander didn't share the sense of foreboding or urgency his mother did. He crossed his arms, showing his bemusement, "They're in Oregon, mother. One is wounded while the other is practically helpless. The crash could have even very well..." he trailed off when he noticed his mom flexing her claws. Resisting the urge to show uncertainty, he listened to her breathe next.

"Now, my little Alex, haven't we discussed the ranks in the family as well as respect to elders, hm?" After showing almost a cat like grin after saying this, her greatness revealed a sudden fury. Her gloved hands erupted into green flames in the process. Her eyes could very well have done so too while she yelled out, "All shall hail the SUPREME ONE! All shall adore HER! All shall know their place around HER and, so, will work to make HER empire that much greater!" Taking in several sharp inhales, the enraged mother looked to seize her relaxed son. Instead, his image buzzed out of contrast for a moment at her touch before resuming clarity. Not losing his cool, although close to, Alexander allowed his mom to continue raging, "Who is the Supreme One here, Alex? Who is the one that went out of her way to give you life as well as all that you have wanted throughout your days?" Wildly looking around at her other children, Shego shrieked, "Well?!"

"You, mother." The other two siblings respectfully acknowledged without hesitation, looking to be spared from her shown wrath whenever meeting her again in the future. It was true, Shego had given her family what they needed to survive in this cruel world. She'd given them the nourishment, hardening, as well as lessons required to make them into proper rulers. Not too much had been drilled into them, though. She didn't need competition. Just compatible followers. Xavier along with Sheeva seemed to have become such. They were easily led, much like their father, only more successful. As for Alexander, he proved to be a bit more resistant in his own way. He still looked entertained when his mother turned to him with hands on fire. She looked him over, somewhat reminded of herself at his refusal to fall in line. A bit proud of him despite of her anger, the empress cooled down to resume talking rather than yelling.

"You act as if you are off the hook, Alex. That is not so. Not in the slightest. You have made a mistake. That is something I never taught you and it is very disappointing to me how it has come about. At this moment, you seem more like your father than myself. A failure rather than a triumph." Watching him for any signs of weakness, Shego caught none from her persistent son. No anger showed in his expression, no sorrow came to his eyes, no anxiety made him bite his lip. Good, he was like a stone. Emotionless or determined to be, anyway. That was the way villainy had to be done. Not if it led to disaster, though. Definitely not.

This was what the Supreme One feared in his refusal to see his fault. He could continue being a spoiled brat but he couldn't keep acting superior when not. The incident with Titan was his own. He had to know that, not ignore it. That or Tina would use it to her advantage again. So, his mother looked to make this known by insulting her son's dignity, "Like your dad would have, you allowed the subject to escape when having a sizeable army in your possession. Ridiculous! You mean to tell me that my special delivery was stolen by your apprentice and escaped the ship? This is your thanks for all I have given you, is it?!"

"No, mother. I have told you twice now, twice, that I aim to undo this damage." Her son responded coolly. Not in anger but in reassurance. Alexander didn't reveal his impatience at being scolded like a child. He was well aware of his faults in this incident and the coming exchange was not required. The fact he was taken off guard by his pupil was humiliating. Worse was that August got into a jet and even departed the war vessel like recently explained. Well, that wouldn't happen again. No, there would be no second chances for the traitor when he was found. If he survived the crisis of crash landing, the betrayer couldn't possibly pose any other threat. He wouldn't get far without being caught. "I understand the severity of the situation, mother. There is no reason for this. I have my forces combing the Oregon territory for the traitor and he'll be-" Shego knew her son was more than capable. However, he was avoiding taking the blame. He needed to learn, damn him, not act mature!

"If you understand the severity of the situation now," Her highness hissed at her son as new flames sparked around her fingers, "then why didn't you before the situation itself happened, Alex?" No answer came to this. Alexander understood his weakness without it being clearly explained again. Due to his stubbornness like every Go, though, he refused to give in. At seeing him do this, his mom went on snidely, "Ugh, clumsy as your father! Of course, like him, you didn't take the necessary precautions to prevent the last expected thing! Wait, you did but, being the klutz you are, you still failed to prevent it. Even with a couple hundred security guards as well as precautions on the Titan, you still allowed the threat to escape us and cause further trouble! Do you understand, Alex? You are not innocent here, you are guilty! Guilty!" At the last spoken "guilty" Shego's eyes lit up again as did her hands. As for her son, he remained un-phased by the scolding. Lucky he was a hologram. He was really pushing his luck.

Feeling battered against his will at having his failure roughly rubbed in his face, Alexander felt he was done meeting with the family. His forces needed him back in the Titan where he would continue to look to redeem himself and, by god, he would do just that. Anything to get his hag of a mother to shut up over the entire incident. The surprise was over. August had no more up his sleeve and, despite what the rumors said, Tina had no more survivability as he. The girl wouldn't prove to be an issue to be recaptured when found by the squads. When that was done, Alexander himself would lead the probable daughter of the long gone Kim Possible into the palace himself. He'd personally deliver her in a big frickin bow for laughs. After voicing these thoughts before his growingly impatient mother, the second oldest bowed as a last respectful act while saying, "This will be mended, mother, and I will not come back to the capitol until it has been. _We_-" he added, gesturing to Xavier and Sheeva, "-will not be back until then." Shego didn't have anything thankful to say back to this. Damn it, the boy was acting like a complete fool at refusing to understand her warning. He would blindly proceed with his operations without it and, most likely, overlook the traitors escape.

"Yes, that sounds good! Be sure not to come back here until you do, Alex! Your welcome will not be as grand as planned beforehand otherwise... Do you understand me?" The empress's hands purposefully flashed with more fire at her last words. Her descendants all simultaneously knelt at the warning. Even though insulted, they showed their last respects as well as promised to come back successful where they had failed. After this last humble act, their hologram selves blinked on and off rapidly until fading away into the shadowy background altogether. Feeling torn at seeing her kids be loyal and angered over Alexander's resistance, the Supreme One stood where she was for some time while trying to relax. Unable to do so, she let out a sharp huff, "Great kids of ours, Drewby, but clumsy to the core!" The quiet husband jumped when the wife turned on him ferociously. He became the unwilling target of her rage when she pulled out a remote and, without proper reason, began tapping the buttons on it. Drakken the Beast became her play thing as the collar on his neck shocked him at each switch she pressed. He let loose panicked, pained yells with each electrocution.

When Shego finally relented from button mashing, her soul mate hastily took the time to shakily regain his breath. Through the work of his upgrades, the drugs, plus his own hardened condition, Drakken endured the sudden aching to gasp out amid his coughs, "Your greatness, I didn't... I don't understand how you..." He meant to say he didn't comprehend how the clumsiness was his fault. He'd merely observed the report like she had. That didn't matter. Foul deed done or not, the empress didn't care. Her will was law and what she wanted, at the moment, was some way to vent her downbeat emotions. So, assuming a seemingly innocent thoughtful expression while still holding the shock collar buzzer, Shego mockingly wondered aloud.

"Let's see, Drewby, clumsiness, hm... What side of the family do we find that in?" At this, her majesty's eyes glowed while a wicked grin spread across her expression, "Do you find it in my side, love?" Her hands blazed once more while she watched Drakken stutter with his undecided answer, sweat clinging to his face, "Do you see clumsiness in the Supreme One? Do you?" Her husband's answer finally came out in a nervous yelp.

"No! Ha ha, not at all, dearest! Not at - GYAAH!" A howl rose from the man's throat when his wife pressed the shock button again with relish. He spoke true, yes, but she enjoyed watching him squirm for freedom from what he couldn't escape. He was her play thing, her way of releasing her pent up anger and, with each beep of the remote, his yelling gave her much needed relief. Alexander would have been receiving such a treatment if he was present. The only reason he acted as superior as he did recently was that he was out of reach. Oh ho, when he came back home here... he would get what was coming. He would learn! Failure wasn't tolerated! Clumsiness wasn't tolerated! Defiance wasn't tolerated! Get the picture?

"Exactly, Drewby. Clumsiness isn't found in my genes. If so, the empire wouldn't be here. Keep that in mind. The next time our kids fail at something, you'll have to remember their clumsiness is your doing and if you let them back talk me about it like just now, you'll experience my pain. Got it?" At getting a quick series of nods from him, Shego affectionately patted Drakken's strained face, "That's better. No sitting around when your wife needs you. Can't let our children become failures like you, can we?" Drakken shook his head and, in disregard, the Supreme pushed his face away from hers. Next, she reached out purposefully for her staff. Nothing happened. The awkward pause happened because her personal item lay on the floor instead of being in the hands it had been in before the fierce family exchange. Drakken tried to desperately explain that trying to hold onto anything while being shocked repeatedly was hard when he was abruptly shocked again. Without further ado, he swept up the staff to hand it to his loving wife. Satisfied, Shego stepped into her throne to have it raise up into the air again but not before giving poor Drewby one last electrocution.

"Oh, come on, SHEGO!" This outburst of Drakken's for sympathy only brought about another beep of the remote to induce more smarting. More of his yelling followed. Thus, while he roared with pain, her greatness rolled her eyes to herself over her clueless husband. You see, if he only shut up and became quiet again then this could stop but no. He kept right on dancing about below like some beheaded chicken, releasing a tapestry of swears meanwhile.

"Honestly, you and your hopeless genes, Dr. D. When will you get the picture?" The Supreme One wondered inwardly while watching her soul mate crazily roll about on the floor next as if that would help. How incredibly immature he was. How spineless. It was unbelievable that she'd even had feelings enough to reproduce with the guy. Of course, she secretly did love the big lug now... in her own funny way. Through torture, intimidation, abuse. It was love all the same, though. Her methods weren't twisted. That's how every family got along, how it strengthened. It learned from its mistakes, its fights. Setting aside this mushy topic on her mind, Shego took to going over what she'd just been told by her children as well as what to do about it. First of all things on the list, she had to know her enemies. If she didn't, how could she defeat them? Raising her voice over her husband's howls, the empress declared, "Enough of your weakness, dearest! Go forth and bring me back Montgomery Fiske!"

At hearing this said to him, Drakken hesitated in rolling around to register the order. Finally, he noticed something amiss in what his majesty had said, "I believe that that primate lover prefers to be called Monkey Fist, highness." How incredibly stupid her husband was! This is what Shego thought to herself as she roughly slammed her finger down on the electrocution button to give him his punishment for correcting her. "Ow ow ow! Very well, dearest! I shall fetch Monkey - er, I mean - Montgomery Fiske for you at once!" With that obvious fact said, the humiliated man rushed out of the room to leave his wife in privacy. There, alone, she firmly went through her thoughts and, boy, did she have a lot of them to sort out.

Disappointment wasn't a common thing found in the "Go" family. No, god forbid, the house name wasn't "Lipsky" or anything close to that oaf. That man had no say in the empire matters. None. Instead, he remained in her highness's eyesight at her very side as something like a trophy. More like a reminder of what she could have ended up like if she hadn't taken the situation of the "Time Monkey" or "Tempest Simia Idol" into her own hands forty years ago. Yes, that little ape statue that rested in secrecy had been the reason for all that had come about throughout 2003 to 2043. The beginning stages of Shegoton couldn't have even come about without that crazy simian voodoo magic Lord Fiske or Monkey Fist or whatever he preferred spoke of.

Through that ape man's motives, Shego herself had inherited the very power that her husband and fellow evildoers wished to rule the world. With time travel on her side, she had no trouble in becoming empress. The only real problem during the world conquest operation were those twerps, Kimmy along with Ronald, who had tried to thwart her from accomplishing her motives. Once, they had traveled forward into their future as teens to stop her. They failed and, through incredible luck, escaped to their own time. After that strong try failed and twenty more years passed, the pair once again attempted to prevent the unpreventable as adults. Nevertheless, their preparations, their plans, for Shego all faltered in the face of her evil. Everything they planned collapsed on itself and, thus, Shegoton rose into the kingdom it was today. Not the best sight on the eyes these days but, hey, Shego felt the empire counted where it mattered most. Like her wants, for example. Ha ha!

As she reviewed her glorious history of rising to power, the Supreme One recalled her success was also partially due to the efforts of her future self during the whole Time Monkey mess in 2003. At that time, the present Shego had had an exchange with her future to find out that she merely needed to take the little statue from Drakken and for herself in order to gain the right as global ruler. With that information revealed to her, her greatness took the first opportunity presented to snatch the stonework and travel back to the past where she separated Team Possible. With the annoying duo split up, their defeat eventually came both there in the present as well as the gradual future. Their heroic hometown became the Supreme One's evil empire's capitol. How very classic, heh. As for tribulations from there on out, they were easily handled. Nothing presented a huge problem... until only a few days ago, that was.

You see, ever since Team Possible had been defeated for good twenty years ago, the Time Monkey wasn't necessary. Why would one wish to risk destroying all her worldwide work by using that chimpanzee thingy and hurting the time space continuum or whatever? What other purpose did the item serve? None. Thus, the almighty empress decided it at least would be good as another decoration for her splendor in her personal quarters. The statue at least reminded her of the hard work she had gone through to secure her position as ruler of earth and what she'd avoided that Drakken now experienced; second place. Yet, it appeared that time travel wasn't exactly over for her greatness. Problems weren't over for Shego or her grasp on power. That was revealed when, from out of the blue one day, her future self showed up in a frenzy from a crumbling portal.

"I don't have much time!" The future Shego exclaimed with disbelieving eyes to her astonished past self, "Listen carefully to me but the empire is being overthrown back where I came from!" How could that be? That was hastily explained, "You'll never guess the answer! I know so because you're me, duh, and the surprise took everything from me! It's all falling apart! My forces, my palace, my world, it's being destroyed as we speak!" Again, how was that possible with everything going normally here? Once more, that question was answered, "Some girl, Kimmy's daughter, came out of nowhere. She started a freaking rebellion, one that I couldn't control! It's going to beat me!" Kimmy's daughter?... Whaaaaaat?

"Okay..." The present Shego responded to her panicky future self at hearing this, now better understanding the message. However, she didn't really get the full purpose for the surprise visit after so many years of easygoing. "What do you want me to do about it? Another time, another place, not my problem." This was where the future Shego raged.

"It soon will be!" The past Shego scoffed. Her have a problem? Ha, yeah, right. She was better than. Nothing got the better of her. Not even fate! However, her future self wasn't done, "You need to do something now! It's our only chance to keep our defeat from being complete!" The present empress rolled her eyes. Boy, if it wasn't her husband calling it seemed she even had to fulfill the wishes of her _other _self. Where did the calls for her aid stop?

"Uh, yeah, uh-huh, how do I stop my empire from falling apart even though it's not." Was the present Shego's mocking reply to her future self. The distressed empress from ahead in time gritted her teeth with flames showing around her clenched hands. She controlled herself to say patiently.

"It's not falling apart now... but it will if things are left undone!" The present ruler of earth had grown impatient with her visitor from the future. Shego couldn't take criticism, not even from herself. Her empire here was fine. Security was fine. What could go wrong? That was when her questions were answered wisely by her replica, "We're both the same here, honey. We're past and future. We connect. So, my mistake will be yours in time. Unless you go to Japan, find Princess's daughter, this Tina Possible, and eliminate her, Shegoton is finished! Do you hear me? Finished!" At this, the future Shego had been sharply told off by the current one for the lesson.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Got it, babe. I'll correct "your" little blunder and things will be righted in your time or whatever while mine remains awesome. Good enough?" Not waiting for a reply, the present empress had instructed the future one to clear off. At being told so rudely to depart, the future Shego had shown being offended.

"I realized I was proud but not this much. Get off your high horse!" This was where the current ruler of the world snapped at her future copy, looking at her in the same disgust as she did her husband. In this current day and age, Shego didn't make mistakes. She wasn't clumsy in the past, present, or future! Fate didn't nor wouldn't get the best of her like this phony replica!

"You don't have the right to tell me what to do, sweetheart! You're looking for a way out of your mistake! Pathetic! Heck, you're as clumsy as that oaf _I _- I mean _we _- took as a husband back in the day!" Shego finished yelling at herself with, "Clumsiness is not in my side of the family, sister! You do not find failure anywhere near me like yourself nor will you ever!" At this, her future highness huffed. However, she seemed to have forgotten something.

"Oh, also, it's not only that Tina girl that will be a problem. Look out for-" Yet, as the future Shego looked to spill more secrets of what to expect coming, she was suddenly muted. Her portal was flickering like a dying light and, at seeing this, the empress ahead of time began trying harder than ever to reveal the things on her mind. Her attempts to do so were in vain. By the time the hole in time had faded altogether, the future Shego had been screaming her lungs out in a desperate try to not leave anything untold. Her present self was absolutely baffled. The current time Shego couldn't make any sense out of the waving of arms, frantic expressions, or red face of her future replica. If only she could have read lips then...

When that odd, little exchange a week ago had ended, her greatness had instructed her armies to immediately head out for Japan where, by no coincidence, they had found the peculiar girl she sought. The victim's name had been "Tina", of course. Without further waiting, the girl was to be brought back by the Go children to Shegoton where her destiny would be decided. Yet, clearly, that hadn't gone as planned due to idiocy, incompetence, along with other failures. Now, this Tina was loose again and, with conflicts beginning world wide in a variety of places, her majesty couldn't personally see to her capture. No, she had to put down the growing number of riots happening throughout her epic realm, instead. If she left this certain task to any other to take charge of the chase after the traitors then that would only place her in the position of her future self and, honestly, she would rather die than be labeled a disappointment. Never would she be such. Not anymore. Never would this kingdom of hers meet such a fate as ruin. Maybe she had made a mistake in the days ahead. Not now, though. She wouldn't make that same accident twice. Destiny wouldn't defeat her. Not when she had beat it once before and won her place here.

"It seems, Kimmy, I can't ever get away from you... not even when you're entirely gone." The Supreme One growled to herself at thinking over the teen hero's likely daughter out in the wilderness causing trouble. The future Shego may have been taken off guard by this Tina. Regardless, that wouldn't be the same case. Even now, the empress was changing the course of fate by taking the prodigal Possible daughter by surprise, right? If that was what the girl was, anyway. In the future, this Tina had started an irreversible rebellion because she had been given the time to do so. Her birth had been in secret. Top secret. The news of Kim even having a child had taken the Supreme One by surprise, despite her attempts not to be. Truthfully, the empire would have completely fallen victim to this Tina individual if her presence hadn't been revealed by the future empress. Stupid. Yet, that wasn't going to happen this time. This round, Shego had the element of surprise. Much like how she'd done in Princess, her highness would do the same to this new Possible. Like mother, like daughter, they both would fall. They had no place in Shegoton. Not anywhere here!

Yet, as the queen of the world leaned back against her throne for comfort, another issue visited her mind. She realized that things hadn't gone according to plan. Much like the last conflict of world domination, fate wasn't simply going to hand her victory it seemed. If so then the threat would have been brought immediately and effortlessly to the capitol from Japan to be sentenced to death or enslavement or whatnot. Truthfully, Shego hadn't decided what to do with the little troublemaker when she was brought forth. Moving on, this August Cousitar had aided in the girl's escape from Titan. He was the sole reason things hadn't worked out and, when pondering over this, her highness partially figured out his accomplishment in stopping an easy victory for the empire.

August had been Alexander's trainee for some years up until all of this had transpired. It was also known that he possessed powers - superhuman abilities, if you will - that made him a worthier soldier than others. He could do what normal could not. With Alexander's training plus these gifts, August was quite capable of helping Tina. That wasn't the half of it, however. It wasn't what bothered her majesty most. This certain defector hadn't ever been that easy to order since he was enlisted. True, he'd eventually become docile with enough abuse. His submission allowed Alexander to take him under his wing. Yet, in the Supreme One's opinion, the Cousitar boy had always been trouble. Even when broken. Well, no more second chances. His life was hopefully limited now as was his intentions. If the Go children fulfilled their promise of getting him, of course.

August had actually been the reason Shego wished to see the master of all monkey related things, "Montgomery Fiske". Naturally, the man wished to be called "Monkey Fist" as he was known back in the earlier days of villainy before her highness took away his Time Monkey as well as shackled him with an obedience collar. However, he didn't get to decide what he was called. He didn't get to decide anything. Shego did. Anyway, the ape specialist was an experienced martial arts master too. He'd personally taught his numerous monkey ninja bodyguards - ugh, yes, he was surrounded by those things - his style. Not only them but Shegoton soldiers as well. The Cousitar boy learned under him for a time before Alexander took over. Anything the Supreme One could learn about the young man would help her better understand the chances of capturing him. Obviously, she had faith in her descendants that they wouldn't fail again. One measly betrayer couldn't hope to outdo them. Her greatness just merely wished to hear more of this August character that had caused so much trouble for her forces. Perhaps he was worth keeping around, despite the trouble. A strong enough _mind control chip _would put him in place.

At pondering of how much time had gone by since she'd commanded Drakken to find the chimpanzee worshipper, Shego brought out his remote. Taking a moment, she next purposefully produced a second remote meant for the monkey man and, after cracking her fingers, began tapping both buttons with an expressionless face. Inside, she was cracking up at the thought of who was getting fried. On the outside, she showed nothing. Only forced patience.

A total of ten minutes passed. Wow, ten minutes? Really? How dare they! This didn't help the empress's mood improve and, with a vengeance, she held down both remote buttons as her teeth gritted. Finally, the sounds of yelling echoed into the throne room from the hall ahead. One familiar cry of pain belonged to Drakken. It was low, startled. The other holler was higher pitched, even a nervous laugh that could have been mistaken for a chimp's squeal. This had to be Montgomery. Only _he _had such an annoying voice.

Into the throne room the victims of Shego's fury loudly bolted with a crowd of shrieking monkeys donned in ninja uniforms. These clothed primates followed their master, Montgomery Fiske, who wasn't at all as built as Drakken. More slim where he relied on agility rather than strength in a fight. He was British man, wearing the same black garbs as his monkey followers did which matched his dark shade of wild hair on his head. Where the man's feet should have been were... hands, due to a freak experiment for his own reasons. No matter, Montgomery was just as equally inferior as her highness's husband when under her gaze. When able, Drakken cried out, "I found him, Shego! I found him! You can stop - YAGH!" Drakken clutched at his neck when zapped to shut up. Next, Monkey Fist shrilly ordered his followers out when her greatness demanded it of him and - by demand - she shocked him too.

Finally able to address him without much distraction, without so much as a thank you to her supposed honey for his efforts, her greatness said to the simian expert, "Okay, orangutan man, it's time you and I had a chat about a certain someone you trained that turned his back on my empire." Her words sparked defiance in the archeologist's chest. He wasn't at all an orangutan man but a master of "Tai-Shing-Pek-Wah" or "Monkey Kung Fu". After his declaration of this fact, Monkey Fist's reward for speaking up was another electric shock. Listening to the duo before her let out yells of surprised agony, Shego smacked her head. When would they learn to shut up? When would they learn that they didn't speak, she did? When would they stop acting surprised and get a clue when zapped? Never? Moving on, the Supreme One yelled over the yelps of distress, "Again, orangutan man, it's time we chatted. Don't make this any harder for me by acting dumb. Trust me, I don't enjoy having you around so let's make this quick!"

"I beg your pardon, madam, but would it be so hard to ask of you to address me as Monkey Fist rather than such a lesser - OUCH!"

Idiots, idiots, idiots! No, Montgomery, you shall be called what her almightiness desires! That or suffer! Those were your options! Shego thought this to herself savagely as she dealt him his penalty for being defiant. Reconsidering his words, the monkey man howled out, "Alright, alright, your majesty! Orangutan man it is! Stop, stop!" Done with delivering the shocks, the empress smugly leaned back against her throne as her guests recovered from the recently dealt trauma to them. Drakken was rolling about again. Montgomery held onto a bit more dignity than he by breathing in as well as out deeply while standing upright. At last, he gained enough voice to politely ask while feeling nothing but fury in his gut, "Now, ahem, what is it you wish to discuss, Supreme One?"

"One of your students-"

"My students, your - OW!" Montgomery silenced when encouraged to by Shego's remote. She wasn't finished speaking when cut off by him. Setting aside the torture device, her majesty resumed talking about what she wanted to know.

"One of your students, August Cousitar, has recently gone rogue. He snatched a special package meant for myself from my little Alexander's ship, Titan." Seeing Monkey Fist show a bit of surprise at hearing his ex-trainee perform such a feat, the Supreme One knew she'd gotten through his thick skull. Next, she aimed to find out more about this August, "Before my son came to take that traitorous boy from your classes, ape man, what did you learn of him? What is his story? The punishment for such defiance like his is death, clearly. However, I hate to say it but... he sounds impressive enough to be kept." The simian expert showed more shock at this. Smiling to herself, Shego honestly asked of him, "Your thoughts? Is he worth the trouble or no?" It seemed the kung fu master didn't know how to respond to the news. He looked torn between being proud as well as incredulous altogether.

"Why does her grace ask this of me?" Monkey Fist finally wondered aloud. That question had a simple answer. The empress wanted to know of the traitor and if he really was worth the trouble then he would be kept in the forces. Her researchers had a way of breaking people as well as fitting subjects with control chips. Not only had August been taught by Alexander but he also had those powers of his. Due to this, he sounded valuable as a drone. Point was, Montgomery had been the betrayer's tutor on fighting for some time in the past. The student had posed some resistance to being taught at first but, gradually, he fell in place. At remembering this, the monkey man explained his honest opinion of the matter, "This certain boy we're discussing is a gem not found easily. He did give me some trouble back in the day during his conditioning but, in the end, his capabilities were far greater than any other of my pupils. None dared to fight him when offered. He never showed compassion." He added lastly, "It comes as a surprise to me that he even had the empathy to help anyone... He was always so cold to everything." That was true while it lasted. Another fake trait in the traitor.

"Then you recommend that I keep him?" At her words, Monkey Fist shrugged in response to his empress.

"That is not something I can answer for you, highness... Is he worth keeping around to you? What value does he possibly possess that you would risk keeping him around?" August had quite a bit of value if he had escaped such a ship as the Titan with a hindrance. However, if he continued threatening the future of her kingdom then he had no such worth. He had to be put down. What a waste. Shego couldn't rightly answer the riddle now. When the threats were recaptured in Oregon and brought to the capitol, then the answer would be decided. The empire wouldn't be threatened anymore at that time. The empress could do as she pleased once more, which included making August an obedient drone.

At hearing of Alexander actually failing an objective, Montgomery couldn't keep his curiosity down. He had to ask against his will, "This situation with the Titan... What special package did my former student relieve of you, majesty?" At seeing her greatness eye him coldly, the monkey expert felt a cold sweat begin on his forehead. Bad question! BAD QUESTION! However, surprisingly, he was spared a jolt as Shego snapped.

"I would think that you wouldn't want to know that, orangutan man! Do you wish to humiliate me further by explaining the problem my son has given me again? Do you really want to experience the anger of the Supreme One?" At this, her highness's finger hovered over the primate worshipper's remote where he quickly jumped in to correct his intentions.

"Not at all, highness! I am very ashamed that one of my pupils has done such a thing to you! Forgive me, please!" Feeling better at hearing such a frightened plea come from her subject without being shocked, Shego decided to hold back on the button mashing. She sat back against her throne with a deep exhale, feeling absolutely drained when she should have been feeling nothing but enjoyment again at destroying a rebellion before it had even began. That couldn't be, though, due to the uselessness of others! Ugh! Did she really have to do everything herself?

"Very well, monkey man, I am done with you..." Yet, as her guest looked to leave with haste, she called him back. She had actually just remembered another thing she wished to know about his former apprentice. She wanted to know of August's powers. "Tell me, where did he get his abilities before being brought to you, Montgomery." The kung fu master had to think back on this. He, himself, was only so talented due to being blessed with abilities by the "Jade Monkey Idols" protected by the old order of ninjas that specialized in Monkey Kung Fu. August was a similar case, given powers by the supernatural in another way. Montgomery didn't know the entire story behind the young man's strengths and it had been years since the boy had been brought to him for combat training. With a minute or two to think, Monkey Fist began to say what he knew of the subject.

"Egypt... The August boy you speak of came from the work force in the Egyptian lands. There, he was given the task of laboring about in the ruins where your researchers were attempting to find out on certain powers in the pyramids." A pause passed. Then, the answer came to the archeologist, "Anubis. That god has something to do with how August was blessed with the powers you question. How did he get them?... I believe the boy found a jackal statue comprised of jet deep underground. The item was in honor of the Egyptian god that judged the dead. That's the connection or so I was told. Anyway, do you not remember, highness, that you requested to have the two sent back here to the citadel after the incident? It was something close to ten years ago, I believe." Ah, yes. Now Shego did remember this certain explained happening ten years ago and, at doing so, she also recalled the jackal icon mentioned. It presently rested on a shelf in her quarters along with numerous other impressive trophies like the Tempest Simian Idol itself. She had taken a delight in collecting mystic items over the years.

Anubis... So that deity or whatnot had something to do with the strength the Cousitar boy now wielded? That seemed good enough an explanation, even if it did come from an ape lover. Still, her highness's curiosity wasn't sated.

"Tell me, monkey man, the last time you had August in your class before my son took him... Was the boy's powers impressive?" There was a riddle on the Supreme One's conscience immediately after hearing Alexander had been bested or held off. This August couldn't be that powerful to best the second oldest Go child... Unless he had luck on his side. Unless he was being protected by fate. Yet, that was ridiculous! Ugh! Her highness was being paranoid. Was she truly being cautious around a lowly soldier? Such a thing as doubt wasn't needed. No, this traitor had no significance to be such a threat! He wasn't anywhere better than her perfected Alexander and if he was lucky than that was about to change! August was out of options as was this Tina!

"Were his powers impressive, highness? Well, in my opinion-"

"Who asked for your opinion?!" Shego cut off the Monkey Fist with a yell. Not letting the offended archeologist try to understand or react, the empress jabbed towards the hall in renewed anger while shouting, "Away with you before you try my patience further! Out!" Hiding his utter hostilities towers her almightiness, the monkey man made his way out of sight on all fours without another word. Utterly fed up with thinking over things that only made her head hurt and rage grow steadily, Shego made her throne go back down to ground level where she stepped off onto the floor. She walked towards the hall, intent on going to her room to get some needed rest from the problems newly placed on her shoulders but not before coldly giving Drakken his orders, "Watch my seat of power for me, Drewby. Think you can handle that?" Drakken stumbled over his words in reply.

"Y-yes, majesty! It'll be as you left it here-"

"Great! Make sure you remain true to your word or-" The Supreme One next pretended clicking a certain button on a certain remote towards Drakken rapidly in warning, "-you know what happens. Right? Right." As her husband's forced expression of understanding paled up at imagining his reward for letting down his cold sweetheart, Shego turned her back on him. She resumed gracefully traipsing down the green carpeted halls of her impenetrable fortress home, cape billowing behind her seductive figure, with personal staff in her right hand. As she went along making her way from the throne to where her own room awaited her, passing elite soldiers in high-tech armor standing guard, she couldn't help but think of everything that had led up to her feeling so riled up at the moment. Her fury must have shown meanwhile somehow - maybe in her jade eyes - for everyone that she met in the halls afterwards seemed to freeze up or make space. _A lot _of space, mind.

The last things her grace had to endure before getting to her quarters was a private elevator ride that went up numerous floors until reaching the very top level. When there, a number of tests were performed on Shego by an artificial intelligence like program created by Alexander himself for her benefit. It scanned the empress's body vertically first, then horizontally, next asked her to place her bare hand on a flipped out panel for inspection, and finished the tiresome process with an eye examination. Her almightiness hadn't changed since her last visit to her room. This was confirmed by the AI when it completed its eye scan and acknowledged politely, _"Cautionary drills done. Hello and welcome back, Supreme One."_

Blinking away the building tears in her jade pupils from the test, the Supreme One snarled back at the greeting, "Yes, yes, great. Let's get a move on, hm?"

Once done greeting its master, the AI made the lift's door automatically open so her highness's shadowed den was revealed to her. It was almost completely dark inside. Finally done getting through everything to get here, the empress immediately made a beeline across her quarters to where the only ray of illumination seeped into the shadowy environment through a crack in a set of heavy curtains made of green velvet. She seized both curtains and, with a rough movement, separated them to allow a shine of weak sunlight to illuminate her against the shadows. Behind the curtains was a double set of glass doors that, when opened, would allow her to step outside onto a balcony. From that balcony -located at the peak of the highest tower in her ominous palace - Shego could easily look down upon everything.

There, at these clear doors, the lethal woman of deadly jade momentarily remained as still as statue. Her figure better stood out from the blackness with time and, really, that was her altogether. Throughout her entire livelihood, she'd fallen in love with the shades of black and green. That was how she wore her clothes, lived her life, and controlled like such that she blankly viewed outside the balcony window before her. Out there, in the outside world, was the gemstone of her empire; Shegoton. Perhaps that's what she needed to feel better. Her highness needed to see the capitol. Wanting a better look, she dully stepped through the glass doors onto the balcony without another thought.

The time was mid afternoon. That couldn't really be determined until the sun flashed through the heavy density of gathering clouds that made the day gray. Soon after, the great orb of light hid back out of sight behind the stormy cloud cover. Shego didn't really care. Her attention was focused on that which she found herself most proud of. All around her high perch, the queen of everything viewed Shegoton go about its business. Her forces of soldiers, mechs, security drones, and more went about the streets on the lookout for any trouble. In every direction was work being done by the insignificant populace to only make her glory greater. Statues of her image were being raised, protesters were being dealt with, and progress was coming along nicely. Everything here - from the lowest grunt to the grandest building - was as normal as it had been for the past twenty years. Yet, at thinking of what had transpired over the course of the past week, the Supreme One gripped the metal railing before her even more tightly until it was near breaking point under her strength.

The empire was invincible... Yet, it was fated to collapse to some nobody from nowhere?

The surprise visit from the future Shego, the finding of Tina, August's betrayal in rescuing her, Alexander's failed attempt at stopping their escape, all of these things pointed towards the obvious fact that fate was rallying against her highness. It was a force not to be trifled with. It was stronger than any other foe she knew and, for countless years, it had kept her majesty from achieving what she wished here. Now it looked to take all of that away through some traitor soldier and a prodigal daughter? Yes, it seemed that way, didn't it?

But, no... That wasn't going to happen.

Shego's hands abruptly erupted into emerald flames next and the railing vaporized under her grasp at the sudden show of anger at thinking of her empire being taken away from her. She examined her blazing, clawed, gloved hands after the display and, as she did, the light of the flames made her eyes shine more brutally than ever before in her lifetime. A defiant smirk appeared on her expression at this. Looking out over her impressive capitol again, she forced away her doubts to have them be replaced by forced determination instead.

Once in her life, destiny had been trying to tell Shego that she didn't deserve anything better than to be the sidekick of a dolt as well as a master thief. Ruler of the world wasn't an option. That had been in 2003, though. However, with the Time Monkey, she'd proven fate wrong. Look at her now in 2043. Did her position over all things not say that she was stronger than even destiny itself? She could certainly change the course of the future. That was how she'd beaten Kimmy as well as Ronald. That was how she would stop this Tina Possible as well as August Cousitar by eliminating them before they had the opportunity to cause trouble. They had no chance against her. None at all.

Shego the Supreme One found herself riled up by her thoughts. She was feeling better, despite the newly found troubles. Yes, she would be damned before she let the traitor of her forces and daughter of Kim Possible ruin her fantastic empire! She would not be defeated! She would not be and, at this, her greatness let out a convinced chuckle as the flames dancing about her hands dramatically enlarged with her excitement.

No matter what fortune had to say, all would hail the _Supreme One. _All would adore _her_. All would know their place around _her _and, so, would work to make _her _empire that much greater... forever.

End of Prologue...


	2. Chapter One: The Ways of the Empire

Chapter One: "Ways of the Empire"

"_I am not a person, I am not a soldier, I am a weapon of the empress. I serve her and her alone. I have no other purpose, no other goal, than to please her highness. I will protect her from the enemy. I will break them for her. All hail the Supreme One!" - Shegoton Army Vows_

_One week ago before the Titan incident..._

The time for the evil empire's capitol on May 13th, 2043, was early morning, about 10am to be precise, with the weather favorable for a change. The usual gray storm clouds that constantly released a light drizzle upon the eerie city was today replaced by a clear, deep blue sky with the sun warmly shining down from it all. This was a welcome change for not only those inhabitants in the community in charge but also for those that toiled in the labor districts within its boundaries. Caution for the brutal storms and their _poisonous _deluges wasn't needed this day. The enslaved workforces could go about their jobs full speed. Naturally, one would think a shower would provide welcomed relief for a sweating slave working under the hot sun to better Shegoton. However, no, that wasn't the case.

The rains these days were generally toxic. Not all but mostly and no one wanted to take their chances. The acid the clouds barraged down were weaker than twenty years in the past, true, but deadly all the same. It was common knowledge to everyone that, since the world had roughly undergone the change in leadership from being mostly a democracy to a solid dictatorship twenty years ago, the climate had adopted a miserable attitude because of the aftermath of war. The empress's rise in the past wasn't a peaceful one. She'd incinerated, destroyed, blasted, gassed, and ruined the earth during her career of eliminating resistance. Not only was the land scarred, so was the sky. An increase in rain came about after the worldwide takeover and, with numerous sources of water polluted, the earth came to eventually cry poison tears. One wouldn't want to be caught in these downpours for long. Still, rules didn't apply to a laborer as they did a noble. Working slaves remained in the storm, willing or no, protected only from the venoms of nature with a thick coat while those more important were given proper shelter.

The affects of the showers were not immediate. It was a gradual ailment that showed slowly with the passing of days. In the rainstorms that came on a regular basis, healthy men lost their health along with resolve in a year or so. The same applied to women. A laborer could be at his or her best - muscular, vigorous, willing - on the first day of the job. Over time of being exposed to the toxic downpour, though, their conditions would worsen. The fit status of their bodies would decay to little more than bone and their skin color would shift into ghost white. Hair loss was a common side affect as was having a harder time breathing until, one fateful day, they would be at the point to not be able to toil altogether. When this occurred, the camp guards would come for the certain soul to bring him or her outside of the metropolis to the eastern facility known as "Eden Hill". No one but troops came back from there...

Death wasn't a surprise to the veteran workers of Shegoton. They could guess as to what occurred to those that ventured into the site called Eden Hill. Thus, a person couldn't show weakness. They couldn't reveal flaws. All a soul could do in this world was survive and, to do that, he or she needed to work. The rain needed to be ignored while Shegoton needed to continue being built. That was the way things were in the capitol. You hailed the Supreme One or faced her wrath. You worked to make her happy or you died. Simple as that. Horrifyingly simple as that. With the storms gone for the time being and sky clear for a change, though, there was no need to think of such depressing things. Today, labor could be done without having to worry about being doused in poison. Today, workers could go about working without being weighed down by coats. This was the attitude the north, east, and western labor camp districts in the capitol had adopted. They were oppressed, true, but the weather had taken pity on them for at least today. However, the south area did not feel such. That certain region on march 13th of 2043 was in an uproar for a very good reason.

The clear weather was ignored by the southern camp district as its populace of hundreds of slaves swiftly crammed outside into the messy streets from their rundown apartments. Their motive for rushing outdoors was due to that which gradually progressed towards the north square. The certain object of interest that attracted the swarms of hostile folk, who buzzed like angry bees with hushed conversation, happened to be an escort of five Shegoton vehicles. Three were reinforced trucks that showed off roof turrets for intimidation. As for the other remaining truck, it was a six wheeled transport that brought along foot soldiers dressed in green-black armor. Bringing up the rear was a heavy duty tank for good measure. To the soldiers driving these automobiles, they were using the lowest grade military security for keeping control on the commoners. Presently, most military vehicles didn't even have wheels. They floated, thanks to twenty years of researching antigravity. This was how the Shegoton troops felt about their equipment, anyway. To those others who watched them from the sides, they were intimidated as they should have been. Fear was a critical tool the empire used on its subjects and, even though they were enraged at the line of soldiers passing by, the slaves were too afraid to act against them. To stop them from doing what they intended in the market square packed with more laborers.

Making its way through the dense throngs of watching workers, the escort progressed towards the center of the area where a platform had been erected for the coming occasion. There, apart for the additional security that purposefully stood upon this podium, three nooses stirred in the wind that randomly visited the scene. A Shegoton executioner, garbed in a cloak with a sleek mask of iron over his features under the hood, awaited those that would be hanged. Those victims he waited for became clear when they stepped off the six wheeled truck after it had come to a stop at the plinth's feet.

With his hands tied behind his back, a man in his late forties appeared first among the ranks of troops. Like his clothes, he looked quite ragged in the face during his time in army control. His dark hair on both his head plus chin were scruffy, yet, the shine in his brown eyes was as strong as the sun's. His body may have appeared to be broken but his spirits was not. A sturdy woman his age, his wife, got off next with a blank expression showing through her ratty red hair. Last to follow them was a teen girl, their daughter, at seventeen years old. This lass, even though as worn down as her parents, still held onto some of her youthful beauty. Her hair, once long now messily cut short, remained as brown as her father's. Her eyes, like her mother's, sparkled sapphire. Yet, all of this didn't matter. Not when destined for one of the three nooses.

A hanging was to take place this morning in a matter of minutes. Three, in fact. These death sentences were the causes for why the workers crowded together in the streets plus square now rather than worked like every other camp. The victims of these life ending sentences was the family that left the trucks, hands bound, and followed the troops up the stairs onto the platform. They did so bravely, with firm eyes as well as straight postures. However, when seeing the ropes meant for her, the teen began breaking down into tears. Death was a scary thing. Especially for the young. When the father attempted to comfort his child, he was forced back by his guards. This heartless action of separating a child in need from her family made the viewing crowd stir heatedly. As the tank plus gunned automobiles positioned themselves better to tell the growingly anxious assembly to back off, the doomed family was pushed forward by their sentries to their appropriate places. Before the ropes, the father, his wife, and daughter, stood in grim silence or sobbed as an individual climbed the stairs after them to be seen.

In charge of the execution was the conceited Shegoton Captain, keeper of the presently still southern labor camp, "Christopher Davidson". Truly, the man was arrogant. Not only his charges thought this but so did a majority of those that worked alongside him. A familiar figure among the slaves due to their hate for him, known for his way of making trouble for his superiors, the snide captain had a square shaped face with a balding head and yellow goatee. His uniform, though as green plus black like all the rest, was adorned with a few commemorating medals on the chest as well as a cape that fluttered in the breeze behind him. At his waist was a holster that held a "Precision III" laser pistol along with a sword hilt which, when activated, would generate a longsword of pure, flowing energy. Either weapons could easily cut through an unarmored object, such as a worker that got to be too insolent. However, considering it was Captain Davidson, there was no reason to be impressed. He was a dolt, not a warrior. The armaments he carried were the weakest as was he. Being such, he didn't belong on the battlefield like any other but here at home as a slave master. Not even that, really.

Again, this certain man that hosted the hangings wasn't at all adored by his charged workforce that watched all around. They hated him for his ways of abusing them, hurting them, taking away their dignity because he felt like it at any time. In some ways, Davidson was the lesser version of her majesty, the Supreme One. The nobles of the city knew full well of his way of being cruel to those minor than him. Of course, the only ones less than him were those that made up the workforce. So, the captain's only way to vent was on them. He was nothing more than a cowardly bully but, here in the empire, nothing about it could be done. He had earned his spot as leader over the commoners. He could do what he wished to them, such as these sentences, or so thought. Little did he know that this event wasn't going to go as smoothly as planned.

Like mentioned before, the captain in charge was a dolt. He didn't even deserve to oversee the workers. You see, these certain hangings he was running had a purpose. Not for the empress's glory but for his own. The laborers that coldly observed him from below knew full well that the souls sentenced to death, the "Quillen" family, deserved no such thing. They had been doomed unjustly when simply trying to defend themselves from the constant evil this world produced. For years, the man of the house, "Joseph" had rallied others against the order of things done in the district. His wife, "Abigail", backed him on everything and his daughter, "Katelyn", adored his bravery. Their family, specifically Joseph himself, had become something like a symbol pf hope to the commoners after so many successful movements to hinder Davidson. Yet, his heroics ended with the attempted pointless abduction of his daughter last morning. In self defense, the parents protected their child from the troops as everyone watched.

Using yesterday's incident as a reason, the theoretically humiliated captain Davidson had had the family arrested then and, now, were to be hanged for the wrong reasons. Reasons that made the on looking crowds of friends, family, plus supporters of the Quillens bristle with anger. Their heroes, like the many in the past that had rose up, were about to be put to death by the servants of the empire. It couldn't happen! However, nothing could be done to stop it.

Captain Christopher Davidson wasn't killing a man, woman, and near child because they had caused so much trouble for Shego. No, he was doing it because they had given _him _too much trouble and, dumbly, he thought this public demonstration would teach those who looked to oppose him in the future a lesson about obedience. That wasn't a good idea in the slightest. Regardless, not thinking, the supposed Shegoton leader went on with the occasion. Ignoring the dozens of hostile eyes focused on him from all directions, Davidson moved past those about to die to silence the surrounding masses with a shot from his pistol. When the order wasn't followed to be quiet, he sternly fired another blast towards the calm sky. This second time proved to be successful and, when having everyone's attention along with stillness, the captain smartly said aloud, "Today, you have all been gathered here to see just what happens to those that oppose her highness! Today, you have all been brought here to witness that insolence will not be tolerated!" This wasn't the reason at all for the sentences. It was an excuse, a lie, to cover the real truth.

Oh, did the peoples wish to shout out their thoughts at the words being declared to them. Oh, how they wished they could do something but, with the tank poised plus turrets ready, they could do naught. So, as the forced silence remained in the crowds, their captain went on, "These three will serve as a reminder for all of you as to what the empire does with the enemies of its empress! Be it man or woman, young or old, they will hang until-"

"What is our crime, captain?!"

The silence of the crowds was broken when Joseph, the protective father of the sobbing Katelyn and husband of the quiet Abigail, spoke up. He cut off Davidson's speech who, looking quite bothered by the action, turned to his hostage. He was about ready to answer back with a weak excuse covering his dirty desires when Joseph yelled again out into the quiet environment, not interested in hearing his overseer speak, "You have no justification here, Davidson! None! Like your damn empress, you never will!" The inspired father roared at his supposed superior as a soldier neared him, "You Shegotons think you can just take what you wish but, hell, I'll kill you before I let you touch my family! You hear me? I'll kill you!" The nearing soldier lifted the butt of his laser rifle and, with a "wham", knocked the wind out of Joseph as well as made him quit ranting for a minute.

"JOSEPH!" His wife cried through when seeing the assault.

"DAD!" Katelyn screamed as her father coughed while on his knees.

As both his family were held back by their guards, Joseph recovered from his sore gut as well as regained his breathing. Then, the slave began cursing what he could at the captain watching him before his attacker began beating him rapidly. The witnessing masses below yelled with rage at seeing the display of mercilessness to someone completely justified in speaking up. In living. While Joseph went on cussing through the brutal strikes, Davidson, seeing he was losing control of the matter, motioned for the soldier to back away from the stubborn worker as he aimed his pistol with an annoyed expression. Seeing the weapon, both wife and daughter yelled in fright to their loved one of what was coming. Hearing them, the loving husband/father lifted himself up to find the Precision III jammed directly against his forehead. Everything immediately quieted throughout the square at seeing the situation.

His finger trembling at the trigger, ready to incinerate the man that had shown him up hundreds of times now in front of his charges, Davidson sneered at Joseph, "You'll kill me will you? How do you intend to do that when you're as helpless as a stuck pig and my damned gun is against your skull, man?" With his last words, the captain dug the barrel into his victim's skin. This invoked screams from the family. Death was a terrifying thing, obviously. Not only for one's self but as well as for a loved one. Not giving in to the recent pain burning his forehead now, Joseph gritted his teeth into what he hoped was a mocking smile.

"You think you're so great with that thing, captain? Untie me. Untie me and let me show you just how great you are, you worthless coward that calls himself a man!" Utterly fed up with the resistance to his authority, Davidson brought his gun around to smash it against the side of his subject's face. This strike resounded with a terrible "crack" that only angered the crowds more but, unfortunately, their leader wasn't done. He seized Joseph to right him again as he snarled.

"I AM greater than you, insect! That's why you're there and I am here! That is why my wishes are answered and you are to die here for your little heroic act yesterday!" Davidson gestured towards Katelyn next at this, evilly stated, "Think of it, bug! What will happen to her now is nothing at all what I would have initially done to her the day before now. She was merely being transferred to another camp. Not facing this! You have doomed your own flesh and blood to death with your little rescue. With your refusal to follow the rules!" This was not at all true. To be told such by such a twisted soul would have enraged anyone beyond belief and, at this, Joseph brought his right fist in fury around to smash it against his superior's chin. This shocked everyone, even the soldiers. No one had noticed the slave undo his bonds. Taking his chance, the father limped towards his child.

Joseph regretted nothing. Fear of what was to come had left him. No one like Davidson touched his loved ones, ever. He would fight that fact to the bitter end. He wouldn't allow it!

Joseph's freedom didn't last long as the surrounding security apprehended him from reaching his daughter. His attempt to do so was a weak one due to the captain's strike but one all the same. At seeing him coming for her, Katelyn reached out for her father. Their hands nearly connected as the bruised dad was hauled back to his noose where the soldiers prepared him for the end. Below, the multitudes of people were absolutely riled. The truck turrets had to be fired once or twice to regain a shaky handle on things. Davidson, after feeling his swollen face, lost himself. He felt like shooting the insolent slave right off but, no, that would be too quick. Too dull. Instead, the captain delivered a punch of his own to his adversary's stomach. Joseph coughed as the noose was brought about his neck and Davidson motioned to the masked executioner. The leader of the security of the southern labor district didn't pay any attention to the growingly angry crowds. If he did, he might have reconsidered his actions. He would have seen the danger in going one step over the line by taking Joseph's life. Yet, being the idiot he was, he cared nothing more than to redeem his supposed dignity. To supposedly show others his superiority when he had none.

"I don't know how you got out of those ropes, Quillen, but that's it." Davidson firmly stated to his resistant captive being tied up again. Joseph actually mockingly grinned through his aches.

"You don't know your workers as good as you think, captain. We'll just keep surprising you. You can count on that."

"That's a shame. I'm not the type that enjoys surprises."

"I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter, bastard. They'll come. One way or the other."

After this exchange, the shamed captain turned away from his hostage to his hundreds of guests in the square. As righteous Joseph's head was covered by a rag, his overseer proudly announced, "In the name of the Supreme One, for the betterment of her empire, I sentence Joseph Quillen to hang until dead. Starting-" The captain purposefully pointed towards the executioner in mid sentence, "-now!"

A clanking sound echoed out as the lever was pulled by the executioner. As the mechanisms began dropping the floor out from under him, Joseph shouted one last purposeful thing through the sack over his head, "Down with the Supreme One! All hail the prince, Alexander Go-" He was cut off when the floor from under him abruptly gave way.

The screams didn't only come from Joseph's wife and daughter when the switch was pulled at the cue and he fell through the platform to swing. They shrilly came from his friends, family, as well as fellow slaves in the crowds. Dangling in the air, the resistant worker that had simply tried to stand up for what was right resisted one last thing as everyone shrieked. He fought off death's embrace. Yet, gradually, his movements slowed as the noise halted. Finally, stillness settled upon the scene. Disbelief washed over the minds of the crowds, of the man's family. On the platform, the mother remained motionless as the daughter wept in anguish at seeing such a display. Both could have possibly died of grief before the noose.

Thus, this was the way of Shegoton. This was the way of the Supreme One. This was the way of the world... or was it? No. No, it wasn't. It couldn't possibly be! It could not be so unjustified! It could not be such a hell! Joseph's wife suddenly struggled against her guards at seeing Davidson looking victorious. Unexcitedly, he determined she was next and last would be the girl. Yet, as the troops moved the vicious Abigail into place, she did as her husband had done. Resisted. Letting out a scream, she pushed away the soldiers as they attempted to seize her and shrieked as loud as she could what came to her mind, "Down with the empress! Down with the empire! May all of you rot in hell and never know peace! Go to-" Her exclamations were cut off when the bag was pulled over her head but, at last, something snapped in the on looking crowd when hearing her bloodily yell what they thought of this entire event.

A devoted father, a husband, a champion, had defended his loved ones along with his friends. He was a hero. For being that, he now lifelessly hung above the earth with a snapped neck. His wife, a woman that hadn't done any wrong and only good to her fellows, was now going to end up looking like that. When that horror upon her was done, last would be her daughter who deserved the most sympathy. Katelyn was the victim of everything going on here. She'd been abducted for no reason and now had lost her father. Now, she faced death too... or did she? No, she deserved better! Both her and her mother! Down with the empress! Down with the empire! Amid the frontlines of the crowds, close to the soldiers, a young man thought this. Losing himself in his rage, he grabbed up a nearby rock and threw it as hard as he could towards Davidson! The projectile missed but sent a message. Things were about to change.

Seeing one of their own do this, despite the guns on them, the slaves nearby the boy who had thrown first began acting up. The Shegoton security shouted for order, even opened fire at the air, but their efforts to tell everyone to calm down proved futile as a volley of rocks plus other objects were thrown towards them. It wasn't only Abigail and Katelyn shrieking. Everyone was doing so now as they pressed against the line of defending soldiers towards the platform. The turrets rattled as bullets were fired into the approaching mob. Blood spilled onto the streets but no one slowed as they swarmed the vehicles plus soldiers. The army was dramatically outnumbered at least six to one. Therefore, no matter their weaponry, they couldn't hope to drive back such numbers. One by one, they were dragged down to the ground to be given a brutal end beneath the feet of those they demoralized. Davidson's soldiers were being eliminated by the berserk workers. At seeing their hero gone, at seeing Abigail scream, everyone lost themselves to their white hot anger. People needed to pay!

"Hold steady, men!" The supposedly gallant captain Davidson shouted to his men as they looked to retreat where they could from the enraged mobs. Yet, as the troops attempted to flee, they found no exit from their ends. Even as they fired their guns, slashed with their swords, the slaves beat the troops into submission as well as oblivion beyond. Never to return. In growing unease at seeing the situation becoming so heated, Davidson glared towards where the soldiers that struggled with Joseph's wife. He wasn't about to be bested by a man no better than a commoner. Before Davidson died, he'd end the Quillen family too. Seeing Katelyn not being attended to, the captain acted. He took hold of the girl as well as the noose to put around her neck while shouting, "You and your father were more trouble than you were worth! Now go and help him give whoever issues in whatever life after this one!"

"No! Let go!" Katelyn screamed, trying to keep the rope off her. As the soldiers along with their leader wrestled with the teen to get her to hold still, everyone on the platform let out yells as it buckled beneath their feet with a snapping "smash"! Unknown to them, as Davidson looked to finish his archenemy's daughter, the mobs of workers had reached the tank which frantically fired catastrophic shots in every which way. When actually getting swarmed, the driver rapidly reversed the armored vehicle without thinking into one of the hanging plinth's supporting legs behind it. The result of this was that the entire podium tilted forward with an ominous creaking to fall twenty feet to the ground. Davidson, Katelyn, Abigail, and the soldiers slid off as the structure tipped. While the formation fell, the anger of the masses was replaced by a frenzy to run for cover as the wounded troops were crushed beneath the weight of the wooden construction! The turret trucks attempted to run too but did so a little late. They, too, were smashed. The Shegoton forces were obliterated with the one mistake made by the tank's operator who was half buried now in wreckage. As for the slaves, they ran forward with hesitation to resume their riot.

Recovering from the experience of losing his forces as well as falling so many feet to the street below, Davidson pushed himself off the ground to see he was in the worst situation possible for an individual. All around him was no more security. Only furious laborers looking to avenge their hero. As for Joseph's loved ones, they were bruised from the collapse of the platform but alive. Katelyn had been freed of her ropes and Abigail was being untied at the moment by her sympathetic fellows. Feeling his gut clam up at seeing the killer looks he was being given from his out of control charges, the captain jumped to his feet to pull out his weapons. As he did, he found his hands shook with fear. Death had arrived for him, had it? Well, in the name of the empire, he wouldn't go down without a fight! However, being the snake he was, he attempted weaseling his way out first.

"Back off! All of you!" He shouted as bravely as he could at the slaves, knowing what to say exactly that might save his skin, "If you even scrape me then her highness will have all of your heads! Quillen got what he deserved! Don't be stupid like him and try to be-"

"Shut your face, wretch!" A woman yelled from the crowd, cutting off the captain, "You're going to get what's been coming to you for the longest time!" Davidson tried to identify whom had spoken this but failed. They all looked the same. Lesser, ugly, but crazy too. They were ready to kill him. They had to or never forgive themselves.

"Don't be dim! If you kill me then this entire district will be cleansed! Let me go and we can forget this ever even happ-" A piece of brick hit Davidson in the shoulder. He identified the thrower and it took all of his will not to fire on him. If he did shoot, it sealed his fate. "If you all kill me then this place gets gassed. You all die with me. Let me go and that won't be a worry."

"Oh, save it! You'll gas us one way or the other!" Someone yelled.

"Joseph had the right attitude!" Another soul cried, "A punch for a punch, a death for a death!"

These exclamations settled it. The slaves readied their objects in hand to stone Davidson. As the captain looked to begin firing wildly, a resounding "BOOM" echoed out from back by the ruined platform. This drew all attention temporarily to where the tank, speeding forward towards the encircled captain, had freed itself from the destruction. Immediately, everyone scattered out of the way. Seeing his chance at survival, Davidson ran alongside the last remaining military vehicle as it passed until hopping on. Away he went from the infuriated workers who gave chase at once. The rocks they threw dully whacked against the tank's steel skin but did nothing to slow its course as it headed south. "Take us north, soldier! Back to the barricade!" The captain shouted to the driver, "Move, move, move!" With that said, the last of the Shegoton forces fled the site with an angry mob of laborers wildly trailing them. Davidson wasn't getting away with this like he thought. Joseph Quillen would be avenged!

As the southern labor district, former lowerton, became out of control due to its supervisor's brainless actions, things throughout the remainder of Shegoton went on unawares. In time, the rioting slaves would be noticed. Before then though, things progressed as normal. The other camps worked, did repairs, and so on to avoid her majesty's wrath with their security keeping watch. The nobles in former upperton, North Shegoton, did as they usually did to stay on the good side of the empress with their endless politics, meetings, plans, as well as keeping track of the regions around the world they were in charge of. The space station, attitude adjustment center or ex-high school, factories, everything as well as everyone ignorantly went about their business as expected of them as south Shegoton was slowly embroiled in chaos.

Closest to the hot site undergoing a sudden revolution was the airport where, actually, was the one young man who could possibly smooth over the issue of Joseph Quillen's death without dire actions, gassing, being made. Standing inside the building at a certain drop off station, blankly facing south through the windows that acted as walls with his exotically blue eyes, "August Cousitar" watched numerous aircraft take off into the clear sky as well as come in to land. The kinds of planes he scanned were a variety. Very high-tech too. Still, that was no surprise. High-tech was a common sight these days. After being under the rule of the Supreme One for twenty years, everything worldwide had undergone breakthroughs for the betterment of her kingdom. Aircraft of most types could easily shoot through the sky like a fighter along with hover as effectively as a helicopter next. If one thought that that sounded like impressive stuff, they only needed to look at the entire empire to see it wasn't only the air force improved. Every branch of the army, every item in civilization that could be, had been advanced. Through these leaps forward, Shego stayed one step ahead of her enemies. After all; technology was knowledge, knowledge was power, power was grand.

So, with his impressive-looking features, short hair colored earthen brown, along with dressed in the traditional caped Shegoton elite cyber guard plate armor colored raven feather black, August continued looking outside in silence. Yet, it wasn't a history lesson about tech that was passing through his head as he observed the advanced planes do as they did outside on the airstrips. His attention was more focused on keeping a lookout for one particular craft that would descend in time. The specific private jet he searched for would be colored completely onyx with six thrusters decorating the back end as well as seeker rockets prepped on the sleek wings. This sounded impressive for an airplane, no? Well, the watchful young man knew why that was. His superior or the Supreme One's second oldest son, "Prince Alexander Go", happened to be the owner of it. Naturally, the prince had his reasons for coming back home in such a defensive craft that excelled in both agility as well as combat capabilities. A majority of them were due to the dangers of him being trailed or possibly attacked by rebels.

You see, five months ago, Alexander had departed the capitol at his mother's orders to aid the efforts in managing the sudden rebellions starting in what was once known as New York. The details on the fighting there were still sketchy but it was guessed it was connected with the other fights appearing across the globe. Yes, the world was resisting once again. War had begun another time. Whether or not the struggles would last long, August couldn't determine until hearing the prince, his master, say his opinion after arriving. However, for its own reasons, New York proved to be a _different _kind of struggle. That was proven when the prince himself was sent out to control it.

Truthfully, the attentive young man at the windows appreciated the fact Alexander was returning. Not because the man was royalty nor had been his master/teacher for the past five years but because, secretly, he was a friend. The prince subtly differed on many things these days than the queen. For one, when alone, he discreetly tried to be as fair as he could. One could say their mind around him when in private. This had earned him much admiration, respect, plus support from his fellows. He made a promising heir, one that could bring much change to how things were done globally. He belonged here in the capitol, not in the war. Consequently, with Alexander's return, August could quit being so damned cautious around who he was speaking with. Not only that but he had been placed in charge of the prince's duties since his departure. At first, this had been an honor. An apprentice of the prince's given such influence? That seemed unlikely until it happened. After five long months of listening to the complaints of the nobles, attending their politics, as well as controlling the conditions of the labor forces in the city, though, the pupil would give his master back his jobs upon his return with relief. August had done all he could. He had tried his best.

Unknown to the watchful young man, his duties to the city weren't done just yet. He would have one last trial, one more job, before being able to hand over the responsibility to his master. This last task, of course, was the revolting south Shegoton.

As a recently enlisted craft designed like an arrowhead, an emerald/white "Fatality" fighter, blasted off the airstrip to hover like a helicopter, one of August's caped elite bodyguards swept towards him from the left. Dressed in the same cyber plate armor as the scanning apprentice, only with his helm on, this knight that neared him wasn't the only defensive measures waiting to greet Alexander. There were about eleven others nearby. Some held laser rifles. The rest, like the approaching guard, held a curious staff. These items weren't to be trifled with in the slightest, however. Much like Davidson's power sword, the staffs used the same method of being activated to show blades. The only difference was both their ends burst blades of energy when triggered. Together, after years of experience, these twelve ranged/close quarters knights of the empire made a deadly combination under August's supervision. One fighter could blast a hole into the enemy from afar. The other could effortlessly slash that same opponent into bits. These warriors would seem to be more than enough protection for his highness. It only became more solid with the two heavy mechs that patrolled outside that showed off massive gatling gun arms. There could be no chances. With Alexander Go, caution was of the utmost importance.

The lone knight that approached August had accurate news of the prince's arrival time and, when beside the young man, began to speak, "Sir, reports state that his highness will be-" He suddenly silenced when his commander lazily gestured for him to. Looking outside too, the bodyguard noticed the object of interest. Together, both messenger and apprentice watched the Fatality fighter prep to no longer float but take off. The process of changing from hover mode to flight mode went like this. While floating, the aircraft's wings along with underbelly literally opened to allow built in mini thrusters to activate while the two rear ones alternated to blast downwards too. Thus, hovering was achieved. This slowed down speed but allowed better handling when in a hot zone. This meant better strikes, attacks, as well as successful runs.

At the moment, the back end thrusters were warming up as they switched position to point straight backwards. Made of light enough material, the airplane suspended in the air long enough with the mini thrusters underneath. One couldn't underestimate the durability of the craft, mind. Although light, it was tough enough to endure the blast off that occurred next. In a matter of seconds, the main rear thrusters ignited with a white light that, as the mini ones closed, successfully shot the Fatality out of sight in a blink. Ah, the rumors had been true then. The newest empire fighter could achieve a hundred miles per hour in under half a minute. Impressive. Unfortunate that such a breakthrough was going to be used for further oppression.

"You wouldn't find me in one of those things." The elite bodyguard with the message said aloud after watching the Fatality scream off into the sky, "Those pilots are lucky not to get broken necks or else when jetting off at that sudden speed. I'm even surprised the guy didn't smash into the ground." August followed the knight's thoughts of flying. That's why they preferred being a foot soldiers on firm ground rather than thousands of feet above it where, if they was unlucky enough, they could fall to his demise. As for the pilot's safety in the newest fighter, he wouldn't have been in the thing if he wasn't capable enough. Her highness wouldn't have allowed it. Oh, she didn't care if there was loss of life. She just did not enjoy spending resources to have weapons made then immediately ruined by idiots. Those who caught her eye ended up being allowed to try out the shiny new toys like the Fatality. Of course, it wasn't always toys that were the rewards. It was sometimes how August had ended up where he currently was after being brought into the capitol ten years ago, apprentice of the prince. Yet, that tale was a story for another time.

"The sky is meant for the flyers, friend." August coolly answered his fellow's honest opinion on the performance of the jet, "As for the ground, that's where we belong. Correct?" At the inquiry, the bodyguard nodded. Much like how Alexander allowed his companions to speak freely of things, August allowed such too. Why wouldn't he when the prince's trainee? To not do so would be dim. Thus, much like how the second oldest Go son, August had come to be recognized for his secretly laid back methods. After five months of being in charge, he was well known, esteemed, plus backed by others. Looking away from where the Fatality had become a speck in the heavens, the apprentice brought attention back to why he was meeting with the elite warrior before him, "Pardon me for interrupting you, soldier. I merely sought to see the newest installment in the air force perform to its expectations. Please, tell me about his highness's arrival time." The knight straightened at his commander's request as well as remembered his message.

"Yes, sir. You should know that there has been a delay in the prince's flight." A delay? For what reason? This was answered as the elite bodyguard went on explaining, "He won't be arriving on schedule due to unfavorable weather." Unfavorable weather? Ah, August understood. The clear weather that was creating such a bright mood was going to end, was it? Storms were on the way? The knight nodded at the guesses, "That seems to be accurate to the report the pilot gave the station moments ago. He was flying through the bad weather during the report. Probably still is. Due to the trouble, it'll be another hour before his majesty lands and the storm will be hitting the capitol a half hour later." That was the problem in a nutshell, was it? The waiting for the prince would be no skin off August's back. The storm made him wary, though. Still in charge of them, he needed to have the workforces alerted to be prepped for rain in an hour and a half. Hopefully, later into the day, the storm would pass over to let the weather become clear again. God knew good weather was a dearly needed thing here.

"Very well, friend." August patiently acknowledged his fellow's information on the matter, thinking over the proper procedures to follow meanwhile, "Firstly, I want you to get back to the communications center here in the airport and let his majesty's escort know we have received the news and things will proceed unchanged, despite the difficulty. Secondly, inform the captains of the Shegoton labor districts of the coming downpours. The laborers must be warned." Most officials wouldn't have made the topic of letting the workers know as quickly as possible a top priority. Nonetheless, August along with Alexander were different nobles. The laborers - not slaves - were people too. Easily replaceable, true, but that was just it. They weren't tools meant to be disregarded as nothing. The workers deserved better. They were forced to build the empire, repair it, along with other things but, through that, they had a major purpose. The condition of the capitol would be affected negatively if not for those in the camps. Due to this, they at least deserved some warning of the poison rains approaching.

After five months of serving with August, the messenger knight understood the importance of both subjects he was given. Every other knight would have too if charged with passing on the news of what was coming. For this, for being aware of the conditions of everyone whether they were rich or no, a majority of the soldiers respected August's caring. Truthfully, not every Shegoton was a barbarian that took pleasure in the suffering of others. Some had dignity to their ways. The minority that didn't care for August's soft methods remained quiet. That was the bonus of having such powerful influence. If one questioned the apprentice's approach on the matter they would be silenced as well as reeducated. Mind, Alexander nor his pupil were ones to take life like the empress at being questioned. They let folk speak their mind, then argued back with good facts. In this case, the poison rains would kill off workers if they were caught unawares. The loss of workers would hinder production. Hindered production would anger the empress who would punish the captains. The captains would punish the workers and, well, one could guess the rest. So, to avoid all this, August wanted the workers alerted as soon as able.

"Of course, sir." The knight answered through his helmet, crossing an arm across his chest in respect to the commands of spreading the word to the camps, "It will be done at once." In a sense of appreciation at the swift response to his wishes, August allowed his companion to rush away towards where the communication center remained. The young man, himself, would have done the task personally but he needed to remain at the drop off point. The apprentice needed to be present for his master. After five years of being his assistant, August was fully aware of what Alexander expected of him. No, actually, what the prince's mother wanted. So, the young man would await his superior another hour as the knight, in his place, would pass on the messages to the labor districts

As for the workers themselves... they truly did deserve better than what they got. Death was a common visitor to them and their conditions were horrible enough without the storms. Without being given the proper attention, they were little better than livestock. Hell, even those out there beyond the capitol's walls in the wilderness, the "Abandoned", had better lives than the workforces here. At least, outside of the capitol, a person was given certain freedoms. They lived without curfew, rules, along with reaped the rewards of their own toils. Sure, they were checked on by empire forces ever so often but, apart for that, there was very little of the empress around. She overlooked the Abandoned. How did August know all this? Well, simple. Ten years ago, he had once been one of those Abandoned individuals that farmed, worked, and endured the hardships of the world while the empire went about its business elsewhere.

He'd been an orphan then, still was, living within a small community in Michigan. His parents, evidently, had died in the latest rebellion against the empire. For this, August had taken to holding a grudge against the empress throughout the years until moving on and helping his village with the activities that needed doing. His connection with the Supreme One wasn't done there, though. It was known that those who were brought to Eden Hill were replaced by the Abandoned. Slaver raids were made on their towns by the Shegoton soldiers to replace the lost workers. You see, this was another reality August knew of clearly due to his own community being the target of such an attack and, in the process, everyone there had been made into workers for the empire. He was separated from his family, friends, and shipped off across the sea to the northern regions of Africa to work with others on pyramids in Egypt. There, he sweated, toiled, and did what no ten year old should have been forced to do nor experience. Yet, in a way, the end result for him there went unexpectedly. It was why he was where he was today. It began when he'd found something, the thing that the empress wished to have for her forces, by falling into a chamber underneath the sand. There had been a dog like idol there and...

At finding himself thinking back on his past, August reached around with his left hand to touch his right shoulder. Again, the empress let certain people that proved themselves in her eyes be rewarded. She was the reason why August commanded the elite guard, was adorned in such impressive armor, and was her son's pupil. However, her attention wasn't on him but _something else_. That something else she knew was in him was the other reason - apart for his dignity - that commanded respect from others as well as attracted Alexander's attention. That something else was the unique symbol of a jackal burned into August's right shoulder. After falling through the sand into the underground chamber, the young man as a boy had unknowingly found that which her highness wanted. With him in the room was a small statue of a jackal and, without thinking, he took it to bring back when called. The result of his carelessness had been... painful but worthwhile in its own way. The idol wasn't normal. It was a sacred object that, when touched, judged the victim worthy or not. What was the person worthy of? Two things. The powers of Anubis or being made into a monstrosity. Luckily enough, August had had a pure enough heart to overcome the evil option. In the days that came later, after being rescued by his fellows, he found he had unnatural powers.

This subject of being blessed with the strengths of Anubis were on a need to know basis. Of course, August had had no idea of this regulation when he'd delivered the artifact to his surprised captain. Unknown to him too, he was the last one to be given the dog idol's power. It was found out that the statue's aura had been depleted. It no longer functioned like wanted and the last to touch it was... a ten year old boy. This fact didn't affect the empress in the slightest. She had the chosen child taken from the Egyptian camps to be delivered to an assistant of hers in the palace. Through that experience, August had come to despise his empress even more. She had handed him over to his new mentor, the man that called himself "Monkey Fist", to be trained into a soldier... no matter the means. Immediately, August resisted the rigorous training. After being torn from everything to only become that which he despised most in the world, he refused to do the wishes of what his supposed superiors requested. This had earned him an obedience collar. This item, naturally, wore down his resolve to remain independent. Pain became a familiar thing to him as did humility.

Really, as his powers grew, August prepared himself to die fighting those in the palace. He wasn't going to become a messenger of her grace's that would destroy another village to make them her slaves. After having experienced his own village raided, he couldn't bear the thought of doing the same to another. Thus, August would let Monkey Fist make him stronger and, when strong enough, he would destroy what he could reach. He would have done that... if not for a certain somebody that appeared to him as his training went on. No, that somebody hadn't been Alexander. The prince was a much better teacher than the ape man, mind, as well as a much better role model. In a way, he'd helped August find purpose again by helping the oppressed people in the capitol where he could. Yet, the prince wasn't August's first inspiration to remain alive, to wait for the right opportunity to strike. That character had been...

"Hello, fellow Shegotons, and welcome to another fantastic day in the glorious empire of her highness, the Supreme One!"

August was jolted from his deep reminiscing when someone loudly interrupted him from nowhere. It wasn't just himself affected. His fellow knights plus passing peoples looked around at the sudden announcement too. Who had become such the center of attention - literally, the _center _of attention - was answered when everyone looked to the middle of the hall. There, a 3-dimensional image blurred into sight for all eyes to see. This digital scene that could be seen clearly from any angle was generated by a miniature projector on the ceiling and, further down the passage to both sides, more of the same pictures were brought up by other projectors for others. Every television switched over from their normal channels of "Life in the Empire" to the announcement being brought forward. Who exactly was in charge of the announcement August had already guessed before she proudly showed herself to her viewers.

"Bonnie Rockwaller", a woman with lightly tinted brown hair and neon aqua shaded eyes that stood out from her sharply featured face, smiled at her viewers throughout the capitol. She wasn't only displayed in the airport where August listened with his escort. No, her coming announcement was a regular procedure, run every few hours, that reached across the entire city. To the hospital, work camps, and so on. Not a single noble, worker, drone, nothing missed Mrs. Rockwaller when she appeared on the numerous big screens. Everything was dropped to give her their attention for a clear reason. This woman, this snobbish soul, was the voice of the Supreme One. What she had to say was what the empress herself had to say. As her lecture about regulations began, August sighed. It only seemed classic for Bonnie to be the empress's loyal brainwasher when one thought about it, really. Due to a personal run in with her during his younger years, the apprentice knew of Bonnie's history as being such a thing back in the attitude adjustment center. There, she immediately as well as heartlessly took care of anyone unwilling to cooperate with the rules. This had been where, after fighting Monkey Fist's teachings for some time, she'd applied August with a collar of his own.

"The Obedience Collar," She had giggled as the rough ornament had been clamped around the resistant young man's neck to shock him for the first time, "you'll learn to love it. Not that you'll have much of a choice, to be honest." Grimacing at remembering being driven against his will to obey his commands by the barbaric appliance she had given him in the past, August growled at the image of Bonnie as well as rubbed the back of his neck. As the woman announcer grinned from her regal desk as cued to do, the young man laughed at her. Rockwaller had no emotion. Not with the kind of torturing work she dished out. How could she smile? Also, at seeing her rich environment, August clenched his fists. She deserved no rewards either. By reward, he meant what she'd been given eight years ago. At that time in the past, Bonnie hadn't been anything but a bullying teacher. However, after helping force August into becoming a super soldier, the Supreme One saw fit to finally gift her mind wiping servant. As the pupil was electrocuted during his training, Rockwaller became the announcer you witnessed today. How very... evilly classic.

Ever since that fateful along with unpleasant meeting with her, August knew that Bonnie had only grown to be a favorite of her highness's. Evidently, he too had attracted her grace's favoritism but not in the same way. His only reason for being where he was now was due mostly to Alexander who had taken him under his wing. If it hadn't turned out that way, he'd still be stuck with Monkey Fist in a collar. The empress wasn't interested in August as a person, she was more attracted to his power that had grown dramatically in ten years. Yes, he had become quite powerful. _Power_. That was all her majesty cared for. That as well as followers, obviously. If she was not interested in minions, Bonnie wouldn't be so superior these days, duh. The woman had no other use than to rant plus make others' lives miserable. No one liked her. Yet, as a favorite of the ruler of earth's, nobody could say that about the announcer as she went about revealing the news of the day and what was expected from the citizens. She did so cheerily. Why? There was nothing to be cheerful about. Another day in the corrupted empire where everyone was a slave... Yippee.

"Good morning to all of you and as you already know, of course, I'm Bonnie Rockwaller. Let's see what's on the list of things to do today, shall we?" No, let's not. Despite his mental answer at his tormentor's question, August observed Bonnie still draw out a collection of papers for herself from under the counter. The obnoxious announcer was way too energetic in everything she did. Again, no one could put her down for this as she reported, "Today is quite the beautiful day for May 13th, 2043. What about that clear sky and brilliant sunshine, huh? No poisonous showers to down the spirits." With a sneer, Bonnie added in what she thought was a joke, "So, you have no excuses to slow down if you're a worker today. Ha ha! You can toil your hardest for her highness who is, as a matter of fact, quite happy at the moment. Due to..." There was a curious pause until, with a blast, "Ah, yes, royalty returns! The almighty Alexander Go returns today after conquering rebels in the regions of New York! So, please, laborers, don't slow down. Speed up! Continue keeping her almightiness content!" At this Bonnie winked before throwing in a dreadful truth, "Remember, her highness rewards those that make her happy. Know how to make her happy, ladies and gentlemen? Helping her empire, naturally!" The more this god damn woman talked, the tighter August's fists clenched. His teeth gritted against one another as well.

Bonnie Rockwaller stood for everything August didn't. She encouraged that which he'd been attempting to reduce in the past five months at Alexander's command when he left. Where she was a corrupted noble, he wasn't. Where she put down the lowest class with her supposedly hilarious jokes, he tried to help them get on their feet. Where she basked in her glory around fake friends, he refused accepting his own until truly feeling satisfied in his attempts at helping his fellows. These announcements of Bonnie's did no good. They only created anger in everyone. Well, not everyone. There was a minority that thought this process of sarcastically doing the news did the capitol good by teaching others their places in civilization. They felt that the message got clarified for everybody within the city limits and that message was this: _"You were not a person, you were not an individual, you were a tool for the empress"._ There was truth to these words. Regardless of how much he wished it were not so, August wasn't any better than the workers. No one was. You followed the rules of the empress along with her empire or you died. If it wasn't the poison rain that killed you, she did. The moment a child was born into this world, he or she became an item of hers. Shego the Supreme One had control over everything... no matter how far you tried to run or how hard you fought back, she decided who you were and your worth. In a way, you were already dead when born. That was the harsh truth of things. The harsh truth...

"You of all people, August, should know better than to give in to that thinking."

Everything seemed to mute as August was snapped out of his depressing thoughts at the sound of a voice that overlapped Bonnie's. At once, the apprentice recognized a familiar presence beside him to his right. Not only that but there was a comfortable sensation that warmed his mind along with heart from being so down a moment ago. After having felt these symptoms of being warmed up in a cold world since ten years old, since starting his training to become the soldier he was now, August turned to he whom had spoken. To he who had given the young man new purpose when close to the end of his road.

Yes, like mentioned earlier, it hadn't been Alexander who had saved the young man from himself five years in the past. Sure, he'd done something similar. Even so, there had been someone else that had appeared before the prince and that particular person now stood to August's right for the hundredth millionth time. It happened to be an older man, in his early sixties, with gray hair that thickly covered his head along with chin. Both his eyes sparkled crimson-brown like his skin tone. The elder distinctly stood out from the crowds like a sore thumb. Why? While every Shegoton sported black/green required outfits, the new arrival had no such style. Instead, he wore faded robes of tan as if he followed the traditions of things thousands of years ago. To be honest, _that _was the case, actually.

Smiling to himself, August acknowledged the stranger with thoughts instead of words, "Of course, Sek. As you say. As wise as ever."

The man in robes that now stood with August, "Sek", was literally thousands of years old. He was, for a reason, as aged as the jackal symbol upon August's shoulder that had been passed from one generation unto the next until the idol finally blessed its last subject ten years ago. Thus, due to this final blessing, this elder had become a firm friend of the young man's. Was he truly beside the apprentice? Was he physically in Shegoton at the moment as Bonnie ranted? That was a yes as well as a no. He had become August's kind of guardian angel ten years beforehand after the Anubis statue activated one last time. No longer was Sek a part of the physical world here but the spirit realm. The details on the subject, ugh, were complicated. Not even August, who had been witnessing the certain man pop up beside him since starting training with Monkey Fist, knew everything about it. All he knew was, through Sek, he'd become familiar with his powers. Through the spirit, he'd realized his purpose was not to toss his life away but look towards the future. With that purpose, August had earned the position he now stood in and, ignoring his everyday misery, tried to help those in need where he could instead.

_Helping others. _That had been Sek's creed when first showing up to ten year old August. Obviously, it still was. The elder had been part of a global organization of warriors, marked with the jackal, that served Anubis thousands of years ago when Egypt was a major power. Serving the god of judgment in his youth, the old man fought off the darkness of the world to protect his own. Yes, yes, the regular champion for the people story. That was great back in the day where swords struck shields. Yet, funny enough, the influence still existed where lasers shot at energy barriers in August's time. Regardless, through the young man, the will of Anubis lived. Through the training plus encouragement Sek offered him during his rough years, August could shine some light into a very dark place.

So, you see, it was thanks to Sek that August acted in the prince's stead while he was away. He was why August watched over the workers, argued with the nobles, and had such influence. Without Sek, the apprentice would have given up on himself as a child. Without Sek, the apprentice wouldn't have gained such mastery over his blessed powers. Nonetheless, that wasn't the case and, when feeling him feel despair again, the old man had appeared to his troubled younger companion to show him the way for the thousandth time.

At seeing the face of Bonnie, Sek seemed to completely understand the reason for his friend becoming so negative. The old warrior cracked his neck as his features blanked up. Then he swept aside his robes while he said aloud, "This woman again? Such an evil spirit that needs smiting, she is." He wasn't being humorous here. This was a dead serious statement. If he could have, Sek would show Rockwaller his swordplay. Unable to do such, he crossed his burly arms while saying next, "She is the worst sort in the worst place. I can now see your reason for sounding depressed, Cousitar. Regardless, you should know _better _than to let her torments unravel your sense of duty. You have accomplished much, have you not?" In all reality, August had a double. Sek was that double. He knew the boy too well. Both were familiar with one another. After having been together for ten years, why wouldn't they be? Due to this knowledge, the spiritual teacher knew how to brighten the student's mood here. That or put down the evil trying to affect him.

August already knew better than to think of himself as little more than a slave in the Supreme One's control. The announcement was accomplishing its task of bringing him down if he allowed such negative thinking to get the best of him. No, as Sek had said, August knew better. He had to keep trying for the better side of things, not give in to despair like all else. At least, while he sacrificed his safety for others, it proved to be rewarding. People praised him, recognized him. No, it wasn't an easy or safe thing to give benefits to the workers. To the empress, she saw it as insulting her. However, with lessons from her second oldest, August had come to adopt a way of underhandedly aiding the unfortunate, despite the risks. It was the kind of risks August would have wanted somebody to take when in charge if he were a laborer in need which, as explained, he had been at one time. Simply put, Sek was correct about this entire situation. Bonnie didn't matter. The actions that had been taken and the prizes they'd brought about were too great to be hindered by her words.

"Yes, you're right, Sek." August noted. "Bonnie just has a way of getting under a person's skin. I try my best not to be affected by her talk but, some days, ya know..." August didn't talk to his mentor, he thought what needed to be said. So, where one would think the pair were being loud with current company around wouldn't be true. The conversation spirit and human held couldn't be heard by anyone other than themselves. How? Again, the boy's relationship with the old man proved to be a complicated one. It took some time to get used to. The elder couldn't be seen by anyone else but the young man to his left. Sek was a figment of August's imagination, his conscience, or something close to that only real enough. He was a protector, a friend that could only be seen by the apprentice. Besides, really, the young man was the only one worth talking to among the rest of the people present as well as throughout the empire. Everyone else talked of evil, evil, evil. With August, there were conversations of hope. Of bravery.

August being depressed. What an idea. He couldn't be such. Not with all the responsibility on his shoulders as well as others depending on him. Shaking himself free of the dark thoughts - his reminding himself of his dark past - before his mentor, the young man turned to Sek to try to grin brightly while ignoring Bonnie report on events for the day. Each event wasn't attractive in the slightest. It focused on the empress every time. Let's hail the Supreme One this or pray for her continued health that. Ugh, with all the upgrades along with meds she'd gotten over her years as ruler, August found it surprising Shego hadn't died of an overdose or such. Oh, how he wished for that. Anyway, the apprentice said with renewed spirits, "My friend, what brings you back here to my deformed part of the world?" Sek gave his fellow a humored expression at the inquiry. Knowing his work of bettering his student's attitude had been complete, the elder went along with the conversation.

"You know very well already, boy. Evil is always active in this world... I am simply curious as to how your efforts in bringing it down are progressing." After this, Sek motioned towards Rockwaller unexcitedly, "I see that some things have not been changed... for the moment at the least. Hopefully, with time, I will not find myself appearing to see this woman's face cheekily grinning at me while she insults the poor inhabitants of this realm." The old warrior next offered a small prayer to Anubis, "May his fairness _truly _judge this maid's soul when she moves on. Many have suffered because of her. Even you, Cousitar." August nodded to himself, trying not to be put down. He understood the comment wasn't supposed to make him feel bad. If it were up to Sek, the man would have destroyed Bonnie when hearing she was responsible for his student's collar. Still, that was in the past. Gone. Nothing important.

"Bonnie definitely is a piece of work. I'll give her that. However, that's all she is in the end." August said, controlling the anger in himself, "That's why I should know better than to let myself feel down when listening to such crap come from her mouth. You're right about that, Sek. Thanks." Yes, it seemed that the teacher had helped his student as hoped. Sek felt better at seeing his words of advice had worked. Really, why did he even worry about them not having the appropriate affect? Since being ten years old, August had always been cheered by the old man's encouragement. Now, ten years later, the child had become a young man of twenty and still brightened at the spirit's visits. Ha.

Getting past his dislike for the rambling Rockwaller before him, Sek took a moment to glance around at his surroundings for the first time. When recognizing where they were, he asked of his youthful trainee, "Ah, I see. You're waiting for someone, are you?" At hearing this, August turned to the ancient warrior. His eyes revealed the truth to Sek who nodded, "Yes, you await the return of your master... The prince of this place?" The servant of Anubis was fully aware of whom he was speaking of. He met Alexander at the same time as August had and, naturally, had come to respect the second oldest descendant of Shego's for his respectable nature. Again, like August, this certain son of the empress gave off a sense of goodness rather than corruption. Alexander spoke of making a difference, of bringing some light into a dark world. "Let me correct myself. You are awaiting a friend to return to you, Cousitar." Sek was correct, of course.

"Yes, Sek. Alexander was bound to land here in the capitol fifteen minutes ago but, due to complications, his arrival has been set back another hour. Until he does touch down, I am to remain here as commanded." At hearing of the prince's title, Sek showed better understanding.

"That was his title then. Alexander. A strong name. A conqueror's name." At saying this, the elder added, "The only shame in that fact is that he is the offspring of she who has created and still creates this constant depression befalling this realm. Even so, the usual negativity is not as... thick as the last time I visited." At this news, August felt a bit relieved. For the past five months when in charge, he'd been working his hardest to improve conditions throughout the capitol for the less fortunate. He didn't only do this for the people or due to Alexander's orders but also for his own personal reason given unto him by Sek. _Help others. _That was what August had to do with his powers and, yes, he'd been doing so quite often of late. It seemed his work had done some good if Sek had noticed. When seeing August show relief, Sek acknowledged his pride in his apprentice, "Yes, you should be proud. The mood of this city has shifted towards the better. It's not a huge difference but, nonetheless, it is there." The old spirit guessed next, "I can suppose that this is thanks to you as well as your prince friend, August? You two are making progress, no matter what you think." Good. That was good.

Feeling better than ever at hearing the information of his actions making a dent into the never ending misery, August smiled to himself. Sure, there was still a lot of work to go before perfection but progress was being made. Yes, perfection was August's new purpose in life. Yes, he had unknowingly become a savior five years ago when the prince had taken him from Monkey Fist and revealed his plans to try to make a change. Shego was a cruel ruler. Her son didn't see the benefit in that. Was it not better to be loved than feared? Love had many more visible bonuses than the other choice. For one, not only did people adore you but they were more eager to satisfy you. In the last five years of taking charge of the capitol, Alexander had earned much praise - especially from the workers - for his merciful actions. The city also prospered as labor results increased by ten percent under his reign. Surprisingly, during the prince's five month absence, that ten percent had gone up to eleven. So, it seemed August also had the proper attitude plus way to do things. He was just as successful at being a leader. Even so, that role wasn't his. Five months was more than enough for August.

"You say that your friend is being held up, is he?" Sek asked of his friend when thinking about things, "Tell me, what is the reason for his delay?" When August explained it was because of a storm, the old warrior showed concern. Of course, as a warrior of Anubis, Sek was worried about the labor forces. About the common man. Again, the elder was a second August. After being together for ten years, the pair reflected each other's feelings on most matters. "Are your rains not dangerous?" Sek questioned curiously, already knowing the answer.

August waved aside the growing worry between them while he explained, "The trouble is already being handled, my friend. One of my knights - a reliable soul - knows full well what I expect of him to do in this certain situation. He has probably already reached the communication center and alerted the worker camps." Not seeing his mentor satisfied by his reassurance, August added, "I guarantee that the laborers in Lowerton, Middleton, as well as Upperton will be properly prepared for when the showers arrive. Trust me on that. In fact, feel the mood of the capitol again. Did you not just tell me that things seemed somewhat easier on the senses than your last visit?" These facts seemed to settle the matter. Indeed, the latest time Sek had shown up had been around Alexander's leave. At that time, Shego had been wickedly enraged at her city over the rebellions bothering her. Five months later, Sek appeared once more to see things had become slightly better and were still improving, regardless of the empress's uneasiness. Impressive. No, not that. Inspiring.

"Is your friend not in danger of falling victim to the storm, Cousitar?" At this wonder, August couldn't help but laugh aloud to himself. Everyone trying to pay attention to Bonnie's news gave him astonished looks. Yet, with influence such as his, the young man could do as he liked. He grimly waved at his observers to ignore him which, with curious faces of their own, they did. His bodyguards seemed bothered by their commander's outburst. They returned to their appropriate posts, though, when ordered by August who regained control of himself to answer his amused spirit companion. If the empress took the necessary precautions to secure the safety of her son against fights with rebels, it would seem ironic that she wouldn't see he had a safe transport to get through today's storms. So, yes, Alexander would be fine. Sek still showed fret, "Man wasn't supposed to fly through the sky, my boy. Gods were." This made sense to a thousand year old warrior of Egypt who thought flight couldn't be achieved unless he or she was an immortal or bird. In this age, though, man achieved reaching the sky. Beyond that, even.

"One way or the other, Sek, my friend will be arriving safe and sound." August stated without the slightest worry. Seriously, the old coot could reassure others fine. When it came to him being told not to worry, jeez, there was no way. Regardless, once Alexander landed in the capitol then worries could be set aside. If only he could land sooner. August was done doing the prince's job for the time being. "Really, as prince, Alexander always has the best at his disposal. The best choices, best men, as well as the best technology. If something does go wrong with the plane, he'll live through it as well as the storm. He has the appropriate resources to do so." Seeing his words were doing Sek no good, the young man stated firmly, "Relax. Just relax." August and Alexander. They were the reasons why things were getting better in Shegoton. Sek feared if one individual was lost... but that wasn't going to happen because of one little storm. August knew the prince was better than that. Way better.

As both warriors of Anubis bickered over things that hadn't even happened, they didn't pay attention to that which was. On the news, Bonnie seemed to be having trouble with something as a number of papers were being given to her in rapid succession. She took a moment to scan them, then, after a shocked expression, exclaimed, "You mean to tell me that south Shegoton is undergoing a complete fiasco?! No, you mean to tell me that it's been in an uproar for the past half hour and you didn't bother to tell me until now?!" The reporter paused as someone in the background attempted to explain. She brutally cut him off with a snarl, "Save it! I'll see that your ass gets fired for this! In the meantime, people, get some camera drones down to that sector! We need to capture that action!" Once done with scolding her associates on their blunder, Bonnie sweetly explained to her shocked viewers, "It seems this report will have to be cut short, ladies and gentlemen, to be taken up by another. Stay tuned, you have no choice, for more reports with Bonnie Rockwaller, myself, as I go to witness the fate of South Shegoton! It should prove to be interesting for sure, ha ha!" With that, the report turned over to commercial that stated: "Make her grace happy and you will be too!".

Now it seemed Sek had reason to be anxious. In fact, everyone did. Particularly former Lowerton which was apparently in a chaos. August's mind furiously raced with the information just given to him by Rockwaller's furious explosion at her crew. South Shegoton had become a hot zone, had it? That certain district had a history of being such. That area had actually been the most troublesome for August from the beginning of his five months when he was given Alexander's responsibilities. The issues with it weren't found in the people, though. No, as a matter of fact, those folk were some of the most productive in the forces within the capitol. It had to be another source that had caused the uproar and, in a matter of seconds, the conflicted young man voiced it, "Davidson." Yes, that had to be it. It _had _to be. Davidson, that agitator, must have done something wrong. Again. He had a history of doing so. That captain had been the reason the southern labor camp had been so much trouble since Alexander's departure.

"It seems my work isn't completely done." August acknowledged when Bonnie vanished from view to be replaced by an ad. Before Sek could register or agree with the spoken statement, his pupil moved away from the windows towards his bothered fellow elite soldiers. The men were disturbed by the report of the south labor camp uprising for personal reasons. Some had originated with no choice from the workforces and had family there. Others of the knights had friends who were the security. Both sides were not right nor wrong to feel worried about either case. Now, things needed to be done. Now, they needed to focus on helping their commander prevent the worst case from occurring. August was well aware of what happened to worker districts that went out of control. They were sentenced to death. Gassing, shooting, it didn't matter. South Shegoton was a target of such horrors unless something was done and, with newfound determination, August looked to stop it. He wouldn't allow it. Not with Alexander nearly home.

"Men!" The young man sternly declared to his fellow soldiers who gave him their attention at once, "Prepare yourselves! We're heading towards South Shegoton!" This was surprising news to the elite guards. They followed the young man's orders, of course, but their objective at the moment was to remain at the airport to receive the prince. This command to greet his nobility came from the empress herself. To disobey her orders was close to suicide. August was aware of this. However, if this was done right and Alexander landed shortly after, the Supreme One would be generous enough to hold back such a reckless sentence at her son's interference. No, she _would _hold back the sentence. She adored her son too much to ignore his opinion. August watched his men uncertainly murmur among themselves before saying, "Come on! Lives will be lost if we don't move out at once!" A soldier actually made his doubts about the plan known.

"B-but, sir, our orders are to stay here and-"

"Are you questioning me, soldier?" August demanded of the nervous trooper speaking up.

"No, no, sir! I was imply curious as to how her majesty, the Supreme One, will react to us moving without permission." The knight in question stuttered out at once. August knew how to answer this. Straightening up, the young man told his fellows seriously as well as truthfully about what was to happen and why.

"Friend, you are correct to worry about the empress. However, whom does this certain unit serve?" At the curious glances the elite guards shared with one another, their commander continued, "We did not answer to her grace until today. Why? She has her own men to order around. Not us. No, we follow the orders of Alexander Go, do we not?" The very thing August was hinting towards was close to rebellion. Truly, the elite units were to stay at the airport as ordered by the Supreme One. However, as Bonnie's words were Shego's, August's were Alexander's. The apprentice knew the prince wouldn't be pleased to hear the entire southern labor district had been purified before his landing without interference. It wouldn't only be a lot of work to replace the dead there but also would be a pointless waste of life. The uprising could be solved. Alexander would know how to do so if he were present and, it just so happened, August did. The young man just needed to get there with the right reinforcements. The question was, would the elite guard follow their commander?

"Remember, my fellows, Alexander enlisted you into _his _forces. Not the empress's. Remember, my companions, he left _me _in charge and I do not say that to intimidate you. I say it to remind you of what the prince would want of us, here and now, and not his mother." August paused for affect to let his words sink into his soldiers. Next, he asked of them, "What _would _Alexander want us to do now?"

_Act or stay? _That was the riddle the elite troops needed to decipher for themselves as well as whom their loyalty was directed to. You see, Alexander chose his men well. He chose them for their fighting spirit, for their daring to resist or show defiance when not to. He chose them because he trusted that they would be able to act on their own when not around him. That they would do what he wished, even when not told. Their promises to serve were not entirely towards the Supreme One. That was a minority. The majority of their vows were towards the prince. Thus, as his followers, the disciples of Alexander had to act out what he would want from them if he were present. Not what his mother wanted. Slowly, this answer came to the mind of every guard in attendance. Their doubt faded away to be replaced by certainty of what to do and, what that was exactly, was what August looked to do. The prince would be proud of his men if they disobeyed orders to wait for him. He would be proud of them if they left the airport to head off the uprising in the west before it required dire actions to control. He would be proud of his men if they saved lives rather than not. Forget the empress! It was the prince they followed, not her!

"The prince doesn't need us. Does he, Cousitar, sir?" A knight asked from the rallying group. August smiled at hearing this. It seemed his words had easily reached his fellows. The warriors gave off a different air than minutes ago. Where they had seemed anxious to leave the airport, they now appeared to be determined. Good.

"What do you think, soldier?" August replied. The elite trooper took a moment to think. During the silence, another knight answered.

"No. His highness doesn't. He's a grown man that doesn't need escorts down the stairs of an airplane." Another guard joked at this.

"Escorts? More like babysitters. I'm shocked we don't wipe his ass for him."

There were laughs. With any commander _other _than August, these elite bodyguards wouldn't have ever been caught acting in such a fashion. However, August _was _their commander and, so, they were entitled to be free to speak their minds. It was no different with Alexander. Heck, the prince would have laughed along with the crack directed towards him. the prince was an important noble, a grown man, that didn't need to be protected everywhere. He was capable of self defense by himself. Why would he have been sent to the frontlines of the Shegoton armies to quell the rebellions if not?

Seeing August's men inspired, Sek noted with pride, "I see that things are not as they seem."

"People wear masks because they're afraid." August replied, "The truth about the empire is there in everyone if you're willing to take the risk of delving deep enough." The apprentice added to his spiritual mentor, "About everyone being a slave... it's true here, Sek." Sek immediately looked to disagree but August knew how to clarify his point, "It's not arguable, my friend. The empress controls everyone and everything here but I aim to change that. I'm not giving up on bringing some freedom into this world. As long as Alexander fights for it, I do too. Until then, though, evil remains dominant. Everyone has to follow the ways of tyranny or find their end. That's the way it is."

"For now." Sek stated, his eyes burning fiercely. August nodded at this.

"Yes. For now, the world is a slave to the empress. Yet, look at these men." Having had their fun, the elite guards were ready to move out at their commander's word. Fearless of the possible consequences of their actions that would come from her highness in the future. August made them an example before Sek of what hope there was in the world, "These guys show the change in attitude you spoke of earlier, Sek. Five months ago, they would have remained silent to my call for help. Five months with me, they are eager to help. They are ready to defy the empress." The young commander continued, "And that doesn't only apply to them. The entire labor force has been affected this way. They don't work for her highness. They toil for the prince. With every day that passes, the city falls more under his influence. They support him." And hopefully, some day, Alexander would become king in the current queen's place. Who knows where things would go from there. That'd be quite the adventure. Quite the revolution.

"I... see." Sek admitted, noting how very impressive this scene seemed to him. Things really had changed since the last time he'd visited Shegoton. It sounded as if people were more spirited than then. Good. Things were improving in the name of Anubis. Darkness was slowly being driven away. Note, there was a great more to do. Yet, at seeing this, Sek felt that one required step of importance had been made. The elder straightened up as well as crossed his arms, "Very well, Cousitar. Do what you must. I shall follow." Taking the advice to heart, August did as he was told.

The large transport vessel that had dropped off the elite guard rested in the eastern takeoff site outside with the mechs watching over it. It would be a walk but that was where August intended to go now with utmost haste. Sweeping aside his cape, he speedily took the lead. His fellow knights resolutely followed, feeling no ounce of guilt as they ran. Only conviction that what they were doing would bring about more reward than penalty when finished. If the empress had complaints, she could complain. It was the prince they served. Not her. The elite forces gradually emptied out of the area of Alexander's drop off station to head east with August. Behind them, a lone, thousand year old spirit curiously trailed their footsteps.

- End of Ways of the Empire...


End file.
